Housing


Build 250,000 homes for key workers, think tank says 16/09/2021 Local plans should ensure that land is set aside to build 50,000 homes a year to help key workers access secure housing, think tank says.
Making the case for a 'Good Home Agency' 16/09/2021 Pat Ritchie argues a lack of a coherent local strategy is largely to blame for England’s poor housing.
Report warns UC uplift is 'lifeline' for vulnerable young people 15/09/2021 Vulnerable young people leaving supported housing will be disproportionately affected by the cut to Universal Credit, a new report has warned.
Sheffield and Milton Keynes win £1.4m housing funding 10/09/2021 Milton Keynes and Sheffield have been awarded £1.4m to help kickstart regeneration and deliver new homes and jobs in each area.
Council chiefs share ‘Everyone In’ lessons 09/09/2021 Funding commitments and improvements to social housing are two areas that council leaders think need more attention if rough sleeping is to be eliminated.
New housing model could help three-quarters of homeless people into jobs, report shows 09/09/2021 A new housing model could help three-quarters of homeless people in England find jobs and permanent homes, according to the results of a pilot project.
Homes England launches £20bn dynamic purchasing system 07/09/2021 Councils and housing associations will find it easier to build houses thanks to reforms in the way Homes England procures housebuilders and disposes of land.
Districts call for government intervention over supported housing 03/09/2021 Three out of five district councils fear they do not have enough good quality supported housing for the next five years, a new survey has found.
Khan strikes deal for nearly 30,000 affordable homes 01/09/2021 Mayor Sadiq Khan has agreed a new deal with Government to fund thousands of council and other affordable homes over the next five years.
Council signs £67m deal to deliver affordable housing 01/09/2021 An insurer of benefit pension funds has completed a multi-million-pound deal with the London Borough of Bromley to help deliver affordable housing.
Government commits £5m to help councils resettle Afghan refugees 01/09/2021 Local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland will receive £5m to help fund the resettlement of refugees who are fleeing the Taliban.
Council chiefs warn rural communities risk missing out on vital services 31/08/2021 Rural areas are at risk of missing out on vital services due to a surge in the number of barns being converted into homes, local authority leaders have warned.
Jenrick announces nearly £9bn housing boost 31/08/2021 The Government has committed £8.6bn of investment in order to boost the provision of affordable housing across the country.
A quarter of rough sleepers no longer being housed under Everyone In scheme 27/08/2021 One in four people placed in emergency accommodation under the government’s Everyone In scheme are no longer being housed, campaigners have warned today.
Welsh Government looks at holiday home reforms 26/08/2021 Holiday home owners in Wales could be charged the full amount of business rates amid claims people are being priced out of their local area.
Khan pledges Afghan resettlement help 26/08/2021 The Mayor of London has pledged funding to help councils resettle Afghan refugees.
Flagship Government housing scheme arrives in Durham 26/08/2021 Families and key workers are set to benefit from First Homes, the new flagship Government housing scheme being made available today in Durham.
Tenants at risk from 'chronic failure' to tackle rogue landlords 25/08/2021 The Government should complete a full assessment of the ability of councils to enforce powers to tackle rogue and criminal landlords, campaigner have said today.
Community-led housing groups given access to £4m fund 24/08/2021 The Government has launched a £4m fund to help community groups build homes in their neighbourhood.
Report attacks councils’ ‘shameful’ undermining of Right to Build laws 23/08/2021 Some authorities have been ‘subverting’ legislation designed to encourage self-built homes, an independent report has found.
Bids open for £160m fund to improve efficiency of social housing 23/08/2021 Social housing providers are being urged to bid for a share of £160m to create warmer, greener and cheaper homes for tenants.
Torbay council leader apologises for Afghan refugee comments 20/08/2021 The leader of Torbay Council has apologised for suggesting that the council would be unable to take in any Afghan refugees because of the housing crisis.
London needs 100,000 new homes each year to tackle housing crisis 16/08/2021 London needs 90-100,000 new homes each year to tackle the ongoing shortage of housing in the capital – double the number currently being built.
Consultation on Greater Manchester development plan launched 10/08/2021 Residents of Greater Manchester were yesterday urged to take part in an eight-week public consultation on a new joint development plan for homes and jobs.
Social housing expert panel announced 09/08/2021 The Government has announced a new expert group created to advise on improvements to the social housing sector.
Welsh Government doubles spending for low carbon social homes 05/08/2021 The Welsh Government has doubled its spending on social housing for rent in order to deliver 20,000 new low carbon homes.
London borough to see £85m investment in affordable housing 05/08/2021 A new £85m funding initiative will deliver up to 300 affordable housing units in Bromley.
Councils urged to take more action against criminal landlords 04/08/2021 Over half of local authorities in England have failed to use new powers to issue civil penalties against rogue landlords in the past three years, a new survey has revealed.
Planning reforms 80% of shops on high streets could be lost 02/08/2021 New research has warned 80% of shops and other commercial premises on high streets across England could be lost under the expansion of permitted development rights.
Thousands of children stuck in temporary accommodation this summer, councils warn 02/08/2021 Nearly 120,000 children in England will be spending the summer holidays living in temporary accommodation, official figures reveal.
Councils call for urgent action to tackle health inequalities 30/07/2021 The pandemic has 'cruelly exposed and exacerbated' health and social inequalities, council leaders have warned.
Charity highlights ‘scandalous’ overcrowding in social housing 29/07/2021 Campaigners have warned over 1.5 million people are living in overcrowded social homes, an increase of 44% in the past five years.
Metro mayors call for extension of housing pilot scheme 28/07/2021 The metro mayors for Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region and West Midlands have joined forces to call for an extension of the Housing First pilot scheme.
Government launches £1.6bn disability strategy 28/07/2021 The Government has launched a new strategy aimed at delivering accessible housing, easier commuting and better job prospects for people living with disabilities.
Addressing the social and affordable housing crisis 28/07/2021 The alarming rise in homelessness demands an immediate shift in how we approach the delivery of social and affordable housing in the UK, argues Guy Horne.
Councils given £13m to help prison leavers find secure homes 28/07/2021 Over 140 councils across England have been awarded a share of £13m to provide longer-term accommodation to prison leavers.
Residents call for say in local housing developments 27/07/2021 Councils are calling for the removal of permitted development rights, warning they prevent local residents from commenting and objecting to developments.
Decarbonising your housing stock with heat pumps 23/07/2021 William Eichler reports from the recent Green Housing Forum webinar, looking at the funding available to local authorities to deliver low carbon homes.
MPs urge Government to scale up homelessness pilots 21/07/2021 The Government has been urged to continue funding three homelessness programmes that have a combined success rate of 88% by MPs.
Councils ‘resistant’ to repurposing empty commercial space 20/07/2021 A think tank has accused local authorities of being ‘resistant’ to measures that could see empty retail spaces repurposed for housing.
Scottish councils to receive £3.2bn housing grant 19/07/2021 Councils in Scotland will receive a 20% uplift in grant funding for affordable homes over the next five years.
Affordable housing is UK's 'poorest performing measure' finds research 13/07/2021 More investment is needed to deliver affordable housing and greater employment opportunities if the Government is to meet its 'levelling up' ambitions, a report has revealed.
Leaders call for new powers to tackle climate change 13/07/2021 A cross-party group of 32 mayors and local leaders have called for greater powers and resources to deliver net zero.
Right to Buy-back fund launched 13/07/2021 London boroughs are to receive funding to purchase former council homes on the private market.
Councils prioritising affordable housing in corporate strategies 08/07/2021 Four out of five councils have affordable housing as one of their priorities in their corporate plans, according to new research.
England’s first land commission publishes ‘radical proposals’ for land use 06/07/2021 England’s first commission to review the use of land for community wealth building has called for all land use to be directed towards achieving social well-being and environmental sustainability.
Social housing shortage blamed for rising bed and breakfast use 02/07/2021 Rising numbers of people who are homeless are being placed in bed and breakfasts due to a severe shortage of social housing, council leaders have warned.
Securing government funding: A guide for local authorities 02/07/2021 Nick Huston outlines the five steps local authorities can take to ensure they stand the best chance of securing financial support for delivering warm and sustainable homes.
Welsh council to end property joint venture 30/06/2021 Powys County Council has decided to end its joint venture with Kier and bring housing and building maintenance services back in-house.
Housing and planning take centre stage at GeoPlace’s annual conference 28/06/2021 Over 879 people registered to attend this year’s GeoPlace’s 2021 conference, taking advantage of an online format that enabled delegates to interact with speakers presenting on this year’s theme, ‘Places for People’.
Scottish council told to improve housing and education services 24/06/2021 Aberdeen City Council has been warned to improve its housing and education services by the public spending watchdog.
Study warns private landlords are reducing their housing benefit lettings 24/06/2021 The number of private landlords willing to let to housing benefit tenants is falling due to the way Universal Credit is administered, a study has warned today.
Will First Homes address local need? 22/06/2021 As a new form of affordable housing, First Homes, is set to come into effect from 28 June 2021, Matt Hare considers how will it impact on future development.
Council to buy Bunkabins and park homes to house homeless people 22/06/2021 Cornwall Council is buying park homes and cabins to help meet the demand for emergency accommodation as a result of COVID-19.
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.

Sutton Council's IoT pilot project

David Grasty, head of digital strategy & portfolio for Kingston and Sutton Councils, outlines how in-home sensors have improved the safety of vulnerable residents living in social housing.

Making the case for a 'Good Home Agency'

Pat Ritchie argues a lack of a coherent local strategy is largely to blame for England’s poor housing.

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