The conditions in England’s social housing have ‘barely improved’ since the Covid-19 pandemic, with nearly 430,000 homes still failing to meet the current minimum standard, MPs say.
A new report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee states that while many homes are warm and safe, too many tenants still face poor living conditions and find complaints are not taken seriously.
The minimum standard of what is considered a decent home has not been updated in two decades and social landlords and tenants lack clarity over the final phases of Awaab's Law, the report finds.
The committee urges the Government to use its Long Term Housing Strategy to both build more social homes and improve existing stock and to update the Decent Homes Standard at least every 10 years.
It also calls for clearer timelines for extending Awaab’s Law to address hazards like damp and mould.
Commenting on the report, Cllr Tom Hunt, chair of the Local Government Association’s Inclusive Growth Committee, said: 'We support the report’s call for government to publish its Long Term Housing Strategy and clear roadmap for the next phases of Awaab’s Law. The package of social housing announcements last month will give councils confidence to invest in the long term, but council housing finances remain under severe pressure.
'This should sit alongside extending the Government’s new burdens funding to Housing Revenue Accounts – over a third of which are in deficit this financial year– to help meet requirements on minimum energy efficiency standards, building and fire safety works.'
Check out: How to achieve compliance with Awaab’s Law
