Housing


MHCLG uses social impact investment to fund homes for rough sleepers 11/06/2021 A three-year social investment pilot will help fund over 200 homes for rough sleepers across England.
Commissioners appointed at Liverpool City Council 10/06/2021 Surrey CC’s chief executive Joanna Killian will be part of the team of independent commissioners who will oversee improvements at Liverpool City Council, local government secretary Robert Jenrick has announced today.
MPs call for councils to be given more powers to tackle ‘land banking’ 10/06/2021 Local authorities should be granted more powers to act where developers are too slow in completing sites they have planning permission for, MPs say.
Over £600m awarded to 26 new Town Deals 08/06/2021 The Government has announced the latest round of towns deals, which will see 26 towns across England share over £600m.
Call for powers to use empty properties for homeless families 07/06/2021 The Local Government Association (LGA) wants more powers to make use of empty properties to provide accommodation for homeless people.
Housing investment package worth £30m announced 07/06/2021 Over 160 projects across England have been awarded £30m as part of an investment package the Government hopes will deliver 17,000 new homes.
Councils given power to tackle exploitation on mobile home sites 07/06/2021 Councils have been given greater powers to tackle bad practice and the exploitation of residents on mobile homes sites.
Councils to set priorities for First Homes scheme 04/06/2021 Councils will be able to set a ‘local connection test’ to give priority to people such as key workers.
Calls to invest £1bn a year in wild spaces to boost public’s health 04/06/2021 A new report has called for an urgent £1bn per year funding package to restore nature at scale.
Developers challenge accusations of 'land banking' 02/06/2021 A new report challenges the Local Government Association’s (LGA) claim that the housing crisis is largely down to a reluctance by developers to build and argues that the real problem is a shortage of planning permissions.
Nearly two million tenants fear losing their home 01/06/2021 More than one in five private renters are worried they will lose their home now that the ban on evictions has been lifted, a homelessness charity has warned.
Councils set out six-point plan to prevent families at ‘cliff-edge’ of homelessness 01/06/2021 Council leaders have published a six-point plan to help protect vulnerable households from homelessness now that the ban on bailiff evictions has ended.
Calls to end 'unstable and discriminatory' housing system 26/05/2021 A third of adults are living in homes that are unaffordable, unfit or unstable, a homelessness charity has warned today.
Unfair evictions cost councils £161m per year 26/05/2021 Ending unfair evictions could save councils £161m a year and reduce homelessness by 9%, according to new analysis.
Care leavers moved into unsafe and unhealthy homes, says charity 25/05/2021 Many young people leaving the care system are being forced to live in unsafe and unsuitable accommodation, a charity has warned today.
Councils to pilot new self-isolation support scheme 24/05/2021 Nine local authorities have been chosen to pilot new ways of supporting people needing to self-isolate.
Government announces £50m boost for care leavers 24/05/2021 The Government today announced a £51m funding boost to help councils support care leavers and have launched a consultation on improving the quality of housing for those leaving care.
Councils given £50,000 to develop design codes 24/05/2021 Planners have welcomed the Government’s announcement that 14 local authorities will be given £50,000 each to develop new design codes but called for more funds for local planning teams.
Five councils launch projects to engage with private renters 21/05/2021 Five local authorities have launched projects to help better understand the challenges faced by private renters.
Shared ownership reforms could lead to loss of affordable homes, providers warn 19/05/2021 Proposed reforms of the shared ownership regime may result in a loss of affordable homes due to the increased administration and costs for social housing providers and local authorities.
Council secures high court ruling to protect safety of residents 18/05/2021 Thurrock Council has been granted an interim injunction by the High Court to prevent residents from living in an unsafe property.
Homes England invites council officers to join summer training programme 17/05/2021 Homes England are inviting council officers to join a Summer Learning Programme aimed at sharing knowledge on topics that could enhance home-building efforts.
Scrap permitted development rights, council chiefs say 17/05/2021 Office blocks left empty following the pandemic risk being turned into substandard housing because of permitted development rights (PDRs), council chiefs say.
Council chiefs ‘concerned’ by decision to end bailiff-enforced evictions 13/05/2021 Local authority leaders have expressed concern over the Government’s decision to end the ban on bailiff-enforced evictions on 31 May.
Queen’s Speech: New law to ‘modernise’ planning system 11/05/2021 The Government has pledged to push ahead with reforms to the planning system in order to meet house-building targets.
Over 1.1 million homes with planning permission waiting to be built, LGA finds 10/05/2021 Council chiefs are calling for more powers to incentivise developers to build more quickly as new figures reveal over a million homes are waiting to be built.
Levelling up needs long-term approach, says report 10/05/2021 A shake-up of local government funding is required to achieve a levelling up of the country, a new report has concluded.
Domestic Abuse Bill signed into law 30/04/2021 Councils will now have a legal duty to provide more support to victims of domestic abuse after the the Domestic Abuse Bill received Royal Assent.
Government consults on new £2bn developer tax 30/04/2021 The Government has launched a consultation into a new residential developer tax to help towards the cost of removing unsafe cladding.
Londoners top list of people most satisfied with where they live 29/04/2021 Residents of built up commuter and ‘affluent’ towns, particularly those living in London, are the most satisfied with where they live, according to new research.
Housing-with-care ‘safeguarded lives’ during pandemic 29/04/2021 A new study looking at how housing-with-care has coped over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic has found that retirement village and extra care housing operators successfully ‘safeguarded lives’ of residents and staff.
Government's housing test is 'toothless', consultancy claims 28/04/2021 Government measures to push councils into meeting their housing targets are ‘toothless’, a development consultancy has claimed.
New £150m ‘Help to Build’ scheme launched 26/04/2021 House builders have welcomed the Government’s ‘Help to Build’ scheme but called on councils to allocate more small sites in their local plans for development.
Charity warns over 60,000 families 'tipped into homelessness last winter' 23/04/2021 The number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation has increased by 8% in a year, new figures have revealed.
MPs hit out at decision to scrap Green Homes Grant 21/04/2021 The Government’s decision to scrap the Green Homes Grant scheme could lead to a ‘postcode lottery’ in local energy efficiency schemes, MPs have warned today.
Housing charity urges PM to ban ‘no fault’ eviction 20/04/2021 The housing charity Shelter has called on the Government to bring forward a bill that could ban ‘no fault’ evictions.
Bids open for Self and Custom Build Land Release Fund 19/04/2021 Council are being urged to bid for a share of the £75m Brownfield Land Release Fund.
No simple north-south divide, says report 19/04/2021 There is no simple north-south divide, a new report by Legal and General (L&G) has argued.
Nearly 700,000 tenants evicted without reason during pandemic 16/04/2021 One in 12 private renters has been given notice to move out without a reason since March 2020, a new poll has revealed.
Yorkshire councils welcome find of rare Roman remains 15/04/2021 Local authorities in North Yorkshire have welcomed the ‘remarkable discovery’ of rare Roman remains at a housing development site.
Housing reforms should help SMEs obtain land, think tank says 15/04/2021 There should be less focus on planning permissions and more reforms helping SME house builders access land, report says.
Housing Ombudsman launches damp and mould investigation 14/04/2021 The Housing Ombudsman has launched an investigation after a review of data revealed a high rate of maladministration on cases involving damp and mould.
Councils urged to make off-site affordable housing a higher priority 08/04/2021 A greater emphasis needs to be placed on delivering affordable housing through off-site allocations, a new report says.
Majority of new homes classed as energy efficient, figures reveal 07/04/2021 The majority of new homes in England are in the most energy efficient bands, according to the latest official figures.
Controversial planning laws threaten to do ‘more harm than good’ 31/03/2021 New planning laws coming into force today will allow commercial premises to be converted into homes without requiring a full planning application.
Government allocates £562m green improvement fund 23/03/2021 Over 50,000 social housing properties and low-income households will be upgraded with green improvements with the launch of a £562m Government fund.
Private outdoor space for public housing: how much is enough? 23/03/2021 Recommendations for private outdoor space standards for public housing could help local authorities optimise those benefits for residents. Paul Miller reports.
Councils to be given five years to spend Right to Buy receipts 22/03/2021 Councils will be given five years to spend receipts from Right to Buy sales as part of an overhaul of the key housing policy, local government secretary Robert Jenrick has announced.
MPs call for action to improve care options for older people 22/03/2021 A cross-party group of MPs and Peers have called on the Government to take urgent action to improve housing and care options for older people.
Council gives green light to £350m developments 18/03/2021 Southampton City Council has given the green light to two new developments that will see over 1000 homes built in the city.
Homes England announces £83m to deliver 3,000 homes in Nottinghamshire 15/03/2021 An £83m package of funding has been agreed to accelerate the delivery of 3,000 homes at Fairham, a 606-acre mixed use development on the edge of Nottingham.
Government extends eviction ban in England 11/03/2021 The extension on the current ban on evictions by bailiffs has been welcomed by a homelessness charity.
Budget 2021: Stamp duty holiday extended and new mortgage guarantee scheme 03/03/2021 The chancellor has extended the stamp duty holiday and created a new mortgage guarantee scheme for people who can’t afford a big deposit to help boost the housing market in his Budget.
Councils fear homelessness ‘tidal wave’ 01/03/2021 Local authorities are braced for a surge in the number of homeless people as protections put in place for the COVID-19 pandemic are allowed to lapse.
Pressure on Green Belt quadruples, warn campaigners 25/02/2021 More than a quarter of a million homes are proposed on greenfield land in advanced local plans, campaigners have warned.
Homes England acquires Harrogate sites to build over 800 houses 23/02/2021 Homes England has acquired two development sites in Harrogate in a move that the national housing agency hopes will unlock land for over 800 new family homes.
Homeless deaths rose by more than a third in past year, warn campaigners 22/02/2021 The number of homeless people who died last year increased by 37% despite the success of the Everyone In scheme, new research has revealed.
Homes England invites councils to become strategic partners 22/02/2021 Local authorities have been invited to become strategic partners with Homes England to increase the delivery of affordable housing.
Calls to use Budget to tackle 'rent debt crisis' 18/02/2021 The chancellor has been warned that homelessness will increase if he fails to tackle the rent debt crisis in the upcoming Budget.
Think tank calls for a ‘street votes’ approach in the suburbs 17/02/2021 Local residents should be given the power to set their own local development rules at a street level, and share the wealth created by new housing, a think tank has proposed today.
Social housing sector calls for guidance to meet sustainability targets 16/02/2021 Nine in 10 social housing construction professionals believe the sector is in urgent need of new Government guidelines if it is going to meet sustainability targets, a new survey has revealed.
UK set for first hydrogen homes 16/02/2021 The UK’s first homes with appliances fuelled entirely by hydrogen will be built in Gateshead this April.
SME builders given £250m boost to diversify housing market 16/02/2021 Small and medium-sized builders are now able to access construction loans of between £1m and £10m from a new fund, the Government’s housing delivery agency has announced.
Pandemic pushes 450,000 families into housing debt, says report 16/02/2021 A further 450,000 families have fallen behind on their housing payments due to the impact of the pandemic, a think tank has warned today.
Are local authorities fighting a losing battle on social tenant satisfaction? 15/02/2021 John Doyle explains why registered providers of social housing face an upwards battle to comply with the new Charter for Social Housing Residents.
Ban on bailiff evictions in England extended by six weeks 15/02/2021 A ban on bailiff evictions has been extended until the end of March to protect renters during the current lockdown restrictions.
Planning inspector backs council over affordable housing decision 05/02/2021 Trafford Council was right to refuse permission for a new development that had no affordable housing, a planning inspector has ruled.
Pandemic puts ‘highly ambitious’ housing targets at risk 03/02/2021 The impact of COVID-19 has left the Government falling short of its target to build one million new homes over the whole of the parliament, a think tank has warned.
Councils urged to create local design code under new rules 01/02/2021 Councils will be required to create their own local design code to ensure all new housing developments meet local standards of quality and design.
The provision of employment space 01/02/2021 In a climate of negligible employment land release where are the unemployment to find employment? Andy Jansons reports.
Government launches £30m fire alarm fund 01/02/2021 Residents living in high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding can now get financial support from the Government to help them buy fire alarms.
17 councils secure funding from Housing Advisers’ Programme 29/01/2021 The Local Government Association (LGA) has announced the 17 councils that have successfully applied to its Housing Advisers Programme.
Homelessness figures highlight 'gross shortage' of social homes, warns charity 28/01/2021 Councils were only able to help a fifth of households at risk of homelessness to stay in their existing home, a charity has warned today.
Report highlights furniture poverty in social housing 22/01/2021 Only 2% of social rented properties are let as furnished or partly furnished, compared to 29% of private rented properties, new research has shown.
All social high-rise buildings take action on dangerous cladding 22/01/2021 All social housing towers have had unsafe cladding removed - or have work underway - government figures have revealed.
New homes will need to reduce emissions by at least 75% by 2025 20/01/2021 All new buildings will have to meet tough new energy efficiency standards under plans published by the Government.
New regulator established to ensure building materials are ‘fit for purpose’ 20/01/2021 The Government has announced the establishment of a national regulator which aims to ensure materials used to build homes will be made safer.
Councils urged to update their Local Plans 20/01/2021 A small number of councils are failing to keep their Local Plans up-to-date, the housing minister has warned.
‘Right to Regenerate’ to free up public land, Jenrick says 18/01/2021 The public will be able to convert vacant plots of land and derelict buildings into new homes or community spaces under ‘Right to Regenerate’ proposals.
Councils warned not to adopt allocations criteria that disadvantage domestic abuse victims 14/01/2021 The ombudsman has reminded councils to consider the exceptional circumstances of people fleeing domestic abuse when assessing their housing needs.
Nearly 130,000 children in temporary accommodation during lockdown 13/01/2021 Around 450 primary schools’ worth of homeless children are spending lockdown in temporary accommodation amid a chronic shortage of affordable housing, council chiefs have warned.
Report finds data problems in Brownfield Land Registers 12/01/2021 More than 348,000 homes could be built on unregistered brownfield land, an investigation has revealed.
Ban on evictions extended in Scotland 08/01/2021 The temporary ban on evictions orders has been extended until the end of March in Scotland.
Government urged to bring back Everyone In programme 07/01/2021 The Government has been urged to ensure all rough sleepers are housed during the third national lockdown.
Council housing waiting lists could double due to COVID-19 22/12/2020 Local authority housing waiting lists could nearly double as a result of COVID-19, council chiefs have warned.
West Midlands Combined Authority wins £51m to transform brownfield sites 21/12/2020 The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has won £51m to transform derelict industrial sites into new communities.
Charity warns a quarter of a million people trapped in temporary accommodation 17/12/2020 Over a quarter of a million people in England have been living in temporary accommodation throughout the pandemic, a homelessness charity has warned today.
Jenrick announces revised plan for housing algorithum 16/12/2020 The Government has announced a raft of new measures in an attempt to provide much-needed homes in urban areas and on brownfield sites.
Local authorities need greater clarity and commitment from government to make our homes greener 16/12/2020 Mike Thornton argues local authorities cannot be successful in reducing carbon emissions in their areas without the backing of a clear national policy framework.
Developers yet to apply for planning permission for over a million homes, councils find 11/12/2020 Developers have failed to seek planning permission for more than a million homes on land earmarked for development by councils, according to new research.
London council rejects ‘cruel’ new immigration rules 10/12/2020 Lewisham Council has hit out at ‘draconian’ new immigration rules that make sleeping rough a legal ground to cancel or refuse permission to stay in the UK.
MPs savage abandoned £192m housing scheme 08/12/2020 A £192m affordable housing programme that failed to deliver any homes has been labelled ‘deplorable’ by the Public Accounts Committee.
Ex-service personnel face ‘significant housing difficulties’ 08/12/2020 Some ex-service personnel still face housing difficulties despite a decade of improvements when it comes to housing outcomes for people leaving the armed forces.
Council leader slams plans for asylum seeker site in village 08/12/2020 The leader of Test Valley Borough Council has started a petition calling on the Government to rethink plans to house 500 asylum seekers on the edge of Barton Stacey village.
Multi-million funding boost to Disabled Facilities Grant 04/12/2020 Councils will be given an extra £68m to help thousands of disabled people make adaptations to their homes.
London boroughs accused of ‘optimism bias’ on housing targets 04/12/2020 London could face a 86,000 shortfall of new homes over the next decade due to 'over optimistic projections', new research has argued.
Future affordable housing must deliver big on space 25/11/2020 Local authorities are under pressure to deliver more affordable housing but while the focus is largely on quantity, this shouldn’t come at the expense of quality, writes Jonathan Pearson.
Councils have 'serious concerns' over protecting rough sleepers this winter 24/11/2020 Some councils will face the 'difficult choice' of leaving people to sleep rough or placing them in unsafe accommodation this winter, a new report has warned.
Ombudsman tells council to review its housing allocations policy 19/11/2020 East Lindsay District Council agreed to review its housing allocations policy to ensure it meets its equality duties following investigation by the Ombudsman.
Charity calls for new standards for accessible housing 18/11/2020 A charity for elderly people is calling for national building standards to be raised to be ‘accessible and adaptable’ as a minimum baseline as a new survey reveals there is a shortage of accessible housing.

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