You need to write an essay addressing the topic below:
Housing is considered a basic human right, and some believe the government should provide free housing to all citizens who are unable to pay for it.
Do you agree or disagree with this belief?
Explain your viewpoint with reasons and include appropriate examples based on your knowledge or experiences.
Your essay should comprise a minimum of 250 words.
✍️ Band 8 Sample Essay
Housing is universally acknowledged as a fundamental human necessity. While some argue that governments should provide free housing to citizens who cannot afford it, others contend that such a policy may be financially unsustainable and encourage dependency. I largely agree with the idea that governments should intervene to ensure housing for the disadvantaged, though this should be balanced with long-term solutions.
On the one hand, providing free housing addresses basic human dignity and social justice. Without secure shelter, people face heightened risks of poverty, ill health, and social exclusion. For example, Scandinavian countries that invest heavily in public housing schemes demonstrate lower levels of homelessness and crime. Moreover, affordable housing enables individuals to focus on employment and education rather than survival, ultimately contributing to a more productive society.
On the other hand, offering free housing to all citizens who cannot pay could place a massive burden on national budgets. Governments, particularly in developing nations, often struggle to allocate sufficient funds for healthcare, education, and infrastructure. Unlimited housing provision may therefore divert resources from other vital sectors. Furthermore, completely free housing might foster dependency, discouraging people from seeking employment or improving their financial circumstances.
A more balanced approach would be for governments to provide temporary housing assistance combined with job training and affordable rental programs. By doing so, they not only meet urgent needs but also empower citizens to regain independence. For instance, Singapore’s public housing model demonstrates how subsidised yet not entirely free housing can foster responsibility and upward mobility.
In conclusion, while I agree that governments have a duty to guarantee housing for those in need, this should not take the form of blanket free provision. Instead, targeted, sustainable policies that combine immediate support with long-term empowerment would yield the greatest social benefits.
Word count: 312
🔑 Highlight Vocabulary
- Targeted policies /ˈtɑːrɡɪtɪd ˈpɑːləsiːz/ – strategies designed for specific groups or goals
- Fundamental /ˌfʌndəˈmentl/ – essential, basic, or most important
- Unsustainable /ˌʌnsəˈsteɪnəbl/ – not able to be maintained in the long run
- Dependency /dɪˈpendənsi/ – reliance on something or someone
- Dignity /ˈdɪɡnəti/ – the state of being worthy of respect
- Exclusion /ɪkˈskluːʒn/ – being left out or denied participation
- Burden /ˈbɜːrdn/ – a heavy responsibility or duty
- Vital sectors /ˈvaɪtl ˈsektərz/ – essential areas of society (e.g., healthcare, education)
- Foster responsibility /ˈfɑːstər rɪˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti/ – encourage people to act responsibly
- Upward mobility /ˈʌpwərd moʊˈbɪləti/ – the ability to improve one’s social and economic position
