Britain’s private renters have been one of the groups hit hardest by job losses and furloughing during the coronavirus crisis. A temporary eviction ban has prevented that feeding through into people losing their homes mid-pandemic, but has seen rent arrears mount. This spells trouble for both tenants and landlords in the months ahead. As the economy begins to recover, these arrears are likely to be the central household debt problem we face, risking a wave of court cases and evictions. How many renters are behind on their housing costs, and by how much? What actions have tenants and landlords taken during the crisis to manage this situation? To what extent has policy helped support those with rent arrears? And is there anything the Chancellor can do in his forthcoming Budget to avoid a wave of evictions? To mark the second report in our Recovery Plan series, which focuses on the scale of and solutions to this rent arrears crisis, the Resolution Foundation is hosting an interactive webinar to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the report’s key findings, we will hear from leading housing experts. Viewers will be able to submit questions to the panel before and during the event. Our recovery series examines the challenges facing four key areas of the economy, ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget. The other events in the series are: Building back business: With revenues down and debt up are firms ready to power the recovery?, 3:30-4:30pm, Wednesday 10th February Recovering from long Covid: Understanding the pandemic’s labour market legacy, (feat. MPC member Michael Saunders), 11-12pm, Thursday 18th February Budgeting for Britain’s economic recovery (feat. Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds and Treasury Select Committee Chair Mel Stride, 11-12pm, Thursday 25th February
