Polly Neate, who was chief executive of homelessness charity Shelter for seven years until March this year, is to join the House of Lords as a crossbench peer.

She is one of two non party-political peers recommended by the Independent House of Lords Appointments Commission.

The Commission says she has been nominated as “an expert in social policy, specialising in housing, homelessness and violence against women and girls”.

Neate, who spent four years as chief executive of Women’s Aid before joining Shelter, said she is “truly honoured” to have been recommended by the Commission.

“In this new phase of my life, I will continue to strive for the causes I have believed in, championed, sought to understand as fully as I can and communicate as compellingly as I can, over the course of my career,” she said.

“I've always been driven by social justice, first as a journalist, then as a civil society leader and now in the new projects I have chosen and through this extraordinary privilege and opportunity.”

Neate is also a former executive director of external relations and communications at Action for Children and in 2020 she was awarded a CBE.

Also nominated as a crossbench peer is Clare Gerada, who is president of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

Neate congratulated Gerada, adding “I’m excited to sit alongside you when the time comes”.

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