Young people are increasingly concerned they will be unable to afford to live in Kensington and Chelsea, the borough where they grew up, with worries extending beyond just housing costs to the wider cost of living and job opportunities. This issue was raised at a Full Council meeting on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
Ms. Tallulah Imuvieyi, Youth Cabinet Lead for Community Safety, voiced the worry that young people would be unable to afford to live in the borough they grew up in.
She questioned what the council was doing to ensure the borough remains a place where people from all backgrounds can continue to call home.
Councillor Jack Reason also linked rising shoplifting among young people to the cost-of-living crisis, suggesting that the council should curate the market to create job opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Councillor Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of the Council, acknowledged the high cost of housing in Kensington and Chelsea but highlighted the council's efforts to build new homes. These include 536 social units and planning permission granted for a further 4,000 homes at Earl's Court and Chelsea, which are expected to become available over the next decades.
Councillor Cem Kemahli, Lead Member for Housing, is reportedly reviewing how to give local people greater priority for social housing. Councillor Campbell stated, To be eligible for social housing, you need to demonstrate local commitment and usually have lived here for about, sorry, commitment connection, and have lived here for three years. And I know that Jem, who's our lead member for housing, is looking at what else we can do, what more we can do to ensure that local people who've grown up here get more priority.
The meeting's agenda and public reports pack can be found on the council's website: Agenda frontsheet 22nd Jul 2026 and Public reports pack 22nd Jul 2026.
