Together Gibraltar says they are “appalled” by the Government's decision to increase housing list eligibility from 10 to 15 years of residency.

A statement continued: “This Government made a commitment to reduce the housing list "to zero" by the next election. They have utterly failed to deliver and are now trying to control the numbers by changing the rules.

“While the Government has made meaningful investments in supporting homeownership, they have completely neglected affordable rental accommodation for over a decade. This has allowed private rents to skyrocket and left the housing list as the only realistic option for thousands of Gibraltarians.

“This Thatcherite obsession with homeownership has left behind young people on zero-hour or supply contracts who cannot secure mortgages. It has left young Gibraltarians on average wages with no option but to live with family into their 30s, move to Spain and lose their place on the housing list, or lie about where they are actually living. Many older Gibraltarians and those who have gone through divorce or bereavement are also left with little chance of affording local rents. These are the real reasons behind the length of Gibraltar’s Housing List.

“This change is a shameful way to treat long-term residents who have contributed to Gibraltar for a decade or more. Someone who has lived and worked in Gibraltar for ten years, paid their taxes and built their life here, is being told they are not Gibraltarian enough to deserve housing support. The Minister's rhetoric about "protecting Gibraltar's identity" is an insulting, cynical attempt to protect her own reputation from the consequences of this Government's failures.

“These rules are also a slap in the face to the many native Gibraltarians who face draconian rejections when applying for the housing list. Applicants are asked to produce a decade's worth of infallible paperwork and often face rejection for the most trivial reasons, with no guidance around what is missing from their application.

“Gibraltar’s housing issues won’t be solved by making this already difficult process even more arduous. The Housing List Application Process needs to be completely overhauled so that the Housing Department can treat applicants with dignity, rather than having to act as gatekeepers to Gibraltarians’ basic rights. The government needs to urgently invest in enough affordable rentals to tackle the real housing backlog and ensure that there is enough competition to bring private rents down to a reasonable level.”