Shelter comment: Grenfell six months on

Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter, said:

“Six months on from the horror of Grenfell and there is still much to be done to aid the survivors and to ensure that nothing like it can ever happen again.

“We have seen first-hand the trauma survivors face and the scale of the challenge in rehousing them. The priority for the council must remain plugging the huge gaps in affordable housing so they can rehouse families as quickly as possible, while also ensuring survivors are free to reject homes if they aren’t right for them.

“At the same time we mustn’t ignore the wider issues brought to light by Grenfell and the breakdown in trust between those living in social housing and those meant to protect them. We need to address problems like the lack of social housing, the conditions people live in and the powerlessness that some social tenants feel or we’ll fail those desperate for change in the wake of this tragedy.”