Housing | LocalGov


Record number of children in temporary accommodation 30/04/2025 A record 165,510 children are now homeless and living in temporary accommodation, according to the latest homelessness figures.
Climate change due to wreak havoc on properties 30/04/2025 More than six million properties in England are in areas that are at risk of flooding, the Climate Change Committee has warned.
200k children risk being trapped in temporary accommodation 29/04/2025 Over 200,000 children could be in temporary accommodation by the end of this Parliament if more isn’t done to build social housing, homelessness charity warns.
Council chiefs call for solar panels on new builds 28/04/2025 All new homes should have solar panels installed to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs for households, council leaders say.
Call for caution over land value capture reform 24/04/2025 Experts have urged against wholesale reform of developer contributions, despite the flaws within the current system.
London boroughs issue bankruptcy warning over £330m overspend 23/04/2025 Town halls may soon be forced into effectively declaring bankruptcy if more is not done to tackle the £330m homelessness overspend, London Councils warns.
Social workers warn of rising risk of unsafe housing 23/04/2025 Over 21% of social workers have had to remove a child from their family in the last three years due in part to unsafe housing conditions, new research reveals.
Leeds battles Right to Buy housing crisis 23/04/2025 Efforts to deliver affordable housing in Leeds have been undermined by Right to Buy, the city council has warned.
Horsham challenges local plan decision 23/04/2025 Horsham District Council has complained to the planning inspectorate after its local plan was rejected.
Council rejects accusation it acted illegally in homeless mother case 22/04/2025 A London borough maintains that it has acted legally after the local government ombudsman accused it of refusing to find temporary housing for a pregnant woman.
Council to sell unsafe properties purchased after Grenfell fire 22/04/2025 The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is aiming to sell off 14 properties that it purchased to house survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Craig David backs call for 90,000 social homes 17/04/2025 Music icon Craig David has backed a call for tens of thousands of new social homes a year over the next decade.
Minister blocks Oldham exit from development plan 10/04/2025 Oldham MBC's attempt to exit an agreement that could see the development of 11,500 new homes has been stymied by the Government.
Councils spend £40m fighting ‘ratflation’ 09/04/2025 Local authority pest control services made nearly 300,000 visits to people’s homes to deal with pest infestations last year at a cost of £40m.
Social housing wait over a hundred years in some areas 09/04/2025 The Government has been urged to tackle the worsening housing crisis as new research reveals a century-long wait for social housing in parts of England.
Stepping up to help disabled social housing tenants 07/04/2025 The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is calling for social housing providers to train staff in disability issues to help impaired tenants.
Temporary accommodation crisis ‘utterly shameful’, MPs say 03/04/2025 Council chiefs have urged the Government to increase the temporary accommodation subsidy as MPs warn homeless children are living in ‘appalling conditions’.
Whitehall dismisses Homes England cull reports 02/04/2025 Reports the Government plans to abolish Homes England as part of a cull of quangos have been dismissed by Whitehall.
Minister: No compromise on building safety amid housing target pressure 01/04/2025 Building safety will not be compromised as the Government tries to meet its 1.5m new homes target, minister Alex Norris has insisted.
Council issues £45k in housing fines 01/04/2025 Salford City Council has issued £45,000 of fines to landlords in an effort to improve local housing conditions.
Local planning authorities working to out-of-date plans 01/04/2025 Two-thirds of local planning authorities (LPAs) outside of London are working to out-of-date research plans, new analysis has revealed.
Homelessness 'fastest growing financial risk' for London boroughs 28/03/2025 MPs have called for action to help local authorities in London tackle the rising costs of providing homelessness support.
LGA launches new empty homes toolkit 28/03/2025 Councils can now access more support to help them tackle long-term empty homes thanks to a new toolkit from the Local Government Association (LGA).
Godstone sinkhole residents able to return home 27/03/2025 Most of the residents of a Surrey village affected by a huge sinkhole are now able to return to their homes, the council has confirmed.
A national asbestos record could prove positive for councils 26/03/2025 With momentum for a national record of asbestos in public buildings, Nicola Dawn, a Partner at Forbes Solicitors, looks at how this could benefit councils.
Cladding safety tax delayed one year 26/03/2025 A tax to fund the removal of unsafe cladding from homes has been delayed one year over fears it might undermine the Government's housebuilding plans.
Newport to set up company for property maintenance 26/03/2025 Newport CC is planning to set up an arm's-length trading company to take over the maintenance of its properties.
Affordable housing gets £2bn funding boost 25/03/2025 The Government has announced £2bn in funding aimed at delivering up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes.
Government ‘complacent’ over cladding capacity issue 20/03/2025 The Government ‘appears complacent’ about the fact there is insufficient capacity across local government to address the dangerous cladding crisis, MPs warn.
Overstretched finances threaten 1.5m housebuilding target 20/03/2025 The pressure on social housing finances at the local level could undermine the Government’s ambition to build 1.5 million houses this parliament, LGA warns.
Ministers in urgent plea for council help with Afghan refugees 11/03/2025 Councils have been urged to support an Afghan resettlement programme under which regions will be handed an allocation from the 6,000-7,000 annual arrivals.
CCN: Planning legislation would ‘dilute’ local oversight 11/03/2025 Legislation aimed at speeding up planning decisions would ‘dilute’ the role of councillors on planning committees, warns the County Council Network (CCN).
Vent-Axia Publishes Free eBook to Help Social Housing Landlords Navigate Awaab’s Law 05/03/2025 Leading British ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has published a free eBook ‘Ensuring Safe Housing Conditions: Focusing on Mould and Damp Conditions’.
Hull CC urges residents to report empty homes 05/03/2025 Hull City Council has urged residents to report empty homes as part of the effort to tackle the ‘unprecedented housing shortage.’
Wealth fund backs social housing retrofit loans 03/03/2025 The National Wealth Fund (NWF) has announced plans to guarantee £250m of loans to housing associations to support the retrofitting of social housing.
Planning breaches uncovered at £6m mansion 03/03/2025 North Norfolk DC has launched an investigation after it was alleged the owners of a £6m house had built a pool and tennis court without planning permission.
Is enough being done to meet the 1.5m housing target? 28/02/2025 Jonathan Pearson, director of Residentially, asks if the Government is doing enough to meet its 1.5 million new homes target.
Number of rough sleepers up by a fifth 28/02/2025 The number of people rough sleeping in England has increased by a fifth in a year, according to new government figures.
Rayner: Grenfell inquiry must be ‘catalyst’ for systemic change 26/02/2025 The Government is committed to ‘stronger regulation’ to improve building safety, says Rayner while setting out the response to the Grenfell inquiry.
Extra £30m to combat homelessness 26/02/2025 An additional £30m in emergency funding has been allocated to councils in England to help prevent evictions and support rough sleepers.
Unlock Awaab’s Law compliance with audits 25/02/2025 Validate cleaning performance to ensure healthier living conditions, advises MSL Solution Providers.
Leicester to build 53 council homes on derelict school site 24/02/2025 Work is set to begin on the construction of 53 council homes at a derelict school site in Leicester.
Investigations into Godstone sinkhole delayed 24/02/2025 Authorities have delayed investigations into the cause of a huge sinkhole in a Surrey village, citing safety concerns.
Average wait for council housing nearly at three years 18/02/2025 The average wait for council housing has almost hit the three-year mark with one London borough reporting the average wait to be over 25 years.
Rules change proposed to boost social housing supply 18/02/2025 Changes to financial rules that could unlock funds for council investment in social housing are to be put before ministers.
Developers leave 1.4 million homes unbuilt 14/02/2025 Councils have given planning permission for more than 1.4 million homes since 2007 that have not been built, research has found.
Starmer: 100 new towns under consideration 13/02/2025 Proposals for new towns on more than 100 sites have been submitted as part of what the PM calls the ‘largest housebuilding programme since the post-war era.’
Vent-Axia Welcomes Government Setting Date for Awaab’s Law 12/02/2025 Vent-Axia has welcomed the UK Government setting a date of October 2025 for Awaab’s Law to be introduced across the social housing sector.
Rayner announces £350m affordable housing boost 12/02/2025 An extra £350m will be invested to boost the number of affordable homes and more will be done to stop rogue landlords getting benefits, the deputy PM says.
Spending Review chance to end ‘permacrisis’ 11/02/2025 The Spending Review is a chance to end the ‘permacrisis’ that has left a growing number of local authorities on the brink of bankruptcy, London Councils says.
Housing plan on MoD site scrapped due to acid grasslands 07/02/2025 Colchester City Council is set to remove a former Ministry of Defence firing range from its development plans due to the site's ‘environmental value.’
Combined authority plea ahead of Chagossian arrivals 05/02/2025 Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has pleaded for help from other local authorities ahead of the upcoming arrival of hundreds of Chagossians.
Social housing waiting lists to 'top two million' 04/02/2025 The number of households on social housing waiting lists in England could top two million by 2034, property experts have forecasted.
Croydon to use Peep Show flats for temporary housing 31/01/2025 Croydon Council is set to acquire part of Peep Show’s ‘Apollo House’, home of characters Mark and Jeremy, to house homeless people on a temporary basis.
Council’s housing service in need of ‘significant improvement’ 29/01/2025 An investigation by the social housing regulator has confirmed that ‘significant improvement is needed’ in Portsmouth City Council’s housing service.
Vent-Axia's Embodied Carbon Calculations for Commercial Heat Recovery Aid Building Design 29/01/2025 To help with the design of low and zero-carbon buildings, ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has completed its embodied carbon calculations on its products.
Major flooding incident in Somerset as residents evacuated 28/01/2025 A major incident was declared in Somerset yesterday as residents were evacuated from their homes due to flooding.
Rising number of child deaths linked to temporary housing 28/01/2025 An estimated 80 children died in temporary accommodation in the year up to 30 September 2024, according to new research.
Havering to house homeless people in empty Essex office block 27/01/2025 Cash-strapped Havering Council has approved plans to convert an office block outside the borough into residential units for homeless families.
‘No desire’ to address short-term homelessness system 24/01/2025 MPs examining the homelessness crisis have warned that there is seemingly ‘no desire to move away from an unsatisfactory short-term system’.
Tackling the ecological skills gap 21/01/2025 Catherine Spitzer, chief executive of Environment Bank, explains how private investment can help councils that are struggling to attract skilled ecologists.
Nine in 10 council housing budgets under financial stress 20/01/2025 Local authorities have warned in a new survey that they may be unable to balance their books because of pressure on their council housing budgets.
LGA: Councils urge further reform of Right to Buy 20/01/2025 Council chiefs have called on the Government to go further with Right to Buy (RTB) reforms and to give councils the power to adapt the scheme.
DCN proposes three reforms to deliver 100,000 affordable homes 20/01/2025 The District Councils’ Network (DCN) has published a study today, which proposes three reforms the organisation claims could provide 100,000 affordable homes.
‘Serious failings’ in two councils’ social housing standards 16/01/2025 The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has identified serious failings following inspections at Newcastle and Nottingham city councils.
500,000 tenants set to lose Right to Buy their council home, report finds 15/01/2025 The Government’s proposed clampdown on the Right to Buy (RtB) scheme will see around 500,000 tenants become ineligible to buy their council home, a new report has found.
ADCS: Cuts have led to poor safeguarding outcomes for children 14/01/2025 The combination of poor-quality housing and the cost-of-living crisis is contributing to ‘family distress and breakdown’, safeguarding report concludes.
‘Serious concerns’ about council’s homelessness service 10/01/2025 Brentwood Borough Council has been putting ‘unnecessary barriers’ in the way of people accessing its homelessness services, an investigation has found.
The Temporary Accommodation Crisis: A call for urgent solutions 08/01/2025 Nathalie Meunier, sales director at offsite manufacturer Premier Modular, argues modular construction offers a solution to the temporary accommodation crisis.
Councils’ housebuilding rests on playing to staff strengths 07/01/2025 Eman Al-Hillawi, CEO at business change consultancy Entec Si, looks at how councils could improve housebuilding progress by re-aligning their workforce.
Airtech Improves Indoor Air Quality and Tackles Mould for Mid-Devon Social Housing Resident 06/01/2025 Airtech, a leading condensation and mould specialist, has helped a Devon social housing resident improve the indoor air quality in their home and combat mould.
Tackle housing crisis to fix NHS and economy, ministers told 02/01/2025 The Government cannot hope to stabilise the NHS and grow the economy without tackling the crisis of poor-quality housing, a report has warned.
Former minister Maclean among 38 new peers 23/12/2024 Former Conservative housing and planning minister Rachel Maclean is among 38 new peers who will enter the House of Lords.
Liverpool City Council sets out plan to deliver 10,000 houses 23/12/2024 Liverpool City Council has set out plans to deliver more than 10,000 new homes in one of Britain’s most deprived areas.
GLA developer stuggles with £300m debt 23/12/2024 Auditors have warned a developer owned by the Greater London Authority (GLA) may require a rescue package.
Councils get £1bn to tackle homelessness 18/12/2024 Local authorities in England will receive the ‘largest ever’ cash injection into homelessness services next year, the Government has announced today.
Government changes rules to spot slow planners 17/12/2024 The speed with which councils decide planning applications will be assessed over a shorter time period by the Government.
Mandatory housebuilding targets confirmed 12/12/2024 English councils must deliver on an ‘ambitious’ combined target of 370,000 new homes a year, the Government has confirmed.
Ofgem praises solar scheme for social housing 10/12/2024 Council estate residents in Hackney will be able to buy discounted energy from new solar panels on their buildings from next year.
Rayner: NIMBYs will no longer have upper hand 09/12/2024 Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has announced plans to end the influence of NIMBYs on housebuilding, vowing they will ‘no longer have the upper hand'.
Home Office doubles time for new refugees to find home 06/12/2024 The Home Office will temporarily give new refugees more time to move on from asylum accommodation, in a move it is hoped will reduce pressure on councils’ homelessness services.
Child was at ‘constant risk of injury’ in unsafe temporary accommodation 05/12/2024 A family with a disabled child had to live in an unsafe flat for a year and a half longer than they should have, an investigation has found.
Child put in care after councils fail to adapt home 05/12/2024 Errors made by two councils left a child with significant and complex needs living in an unsuitable home for ‘far too long’, an ombudsman has found.
Rayner: Housing targets are mandatory 04/12/2024 Angela Rayner has insisted that councils must meet the Government's housing targets after local authorities branded them impossible to achieve.
Hitting Housing Targets: How much Green Belt is needed? 02/12/2024 David Churchill, a partner at Carter Jonas, asks how much Green Belt must local authorities release to meet housing targets.
Council’s handling of housing complaints ‘defensive’ 28/11/2024 A special investigation by the Housing Ombudsman has revealed a ‘defensive complaints culture’ within Camden Council’s landlord services.
Social housing rules eased for veterans 27/11/2024 Councils in England can no longer require veterans to have a connection to the local area to qualify for social housing, the Government confirmed today.
Brum staff call for security review 26/11/2024 Birmingham City Council staff have called for a review of security at their offices after three housing staff were injured in a ‘serious incident'.
Affordable housing starts drop due to ‘tough’ conditions 25/11/2024 The number of housing starts for affordable homes in Greater London fell sharply last year, official figures reveal.
Rayner: Prescott was an inspiration to me 25/11/2024 Former secretary of state John Prescott who has died aged 86 ‘revived British cities and led the refurbishment of thousands of council homes', says Rayner.
New partnership drives improved air quality and healthier homes in social housing 25/11/2024 Vent-Axia and Switchee are joining forces to launch 'Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon Revive 7 with Switchee connectivity', a ventilation solution for social housing.
Over 100 councils report not prosecuting rogue landlords 22/11/2024 More than 100 local authorities have reported that they have not prosecuted any rogue landlords at all in half a decade, new research reveals.
Consultation on Right to Buy overhaul launched 21/11/2024 A consultation on the Government’s overhaul of the Right to Buy scheme has been launched.
Council to receive £1.5m boost to tackle homelessness 18/11/2024 Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is set to receive almost £1.5m from the Government to help tackle homelessness.
London mayor calls for Right to Buy devolution 18/11/2024 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called on the Government to devolve control over Right to Buy to the capital.
Woman fell to death trying to fix council flat drainpipe, inquest finds 11/11/2024 A 37-year-old woman who died after falling from a sixth-floor Hackney Council flat was trying to fix a blocked drainpipe, an inquest has found.
New steps to keep tenants safe 08/11/2024 Housing Associations can now access a cost-effective method of managing the risk of helping keep tenants safe when using stairs.
Right to Buy could end for new council homes 08/11/2024 The deputy prime minister has suggested she wants to remove new council homes in England from the Right to Buy scheme.
Councils get £47m for new homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules 07/11/2024 Seven areas in England will benefit from a share of £45m to ‘unblock’ new housing developments that have been stalled by rules on nutrient neutrality.
Renters' Rights Bill to extend homelessness prevention duty 06/11/2024 Councils' homelessness prevention duty to evicted tenants could be extended from 56 to 147 days or more under the Renters' Rights Bill.