Experts Offer Responses to Recently Released Levelling Up Committee Report
The social housing crisis in the UK is reaching a critical point, with more than 1.2 million households on council waiting lists and over 100,000 households living in temporary accommodation, according to Darren Rodwell, housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA).
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee (LUHC) published a report titled 'The Finances and Sustainability of the Social Housing Sector', which calls for increased investment in the sector to deliver 90,000 new social rent homes per year in England. The report recommends authorities use land value capture and reforms to grants and funding to support social housing.
London Councils have welcomed the LUHC report and expressed concern about budget cuts. They claim that without more government investment, the future of social housing looks bleak. The spokesperson for London Councils stated that social housing is crucial for tackling homelessness in London and is a vital component of the capital's social and economic success.
Darren Rodwell suggests that long-term certainty on powers and funding could help councils deliver an ambitious build programme of 100,000 high-quality, climate-friendly social homes a year. Key measures include allocating substantial funding through the 2025 Spending Review, replacing the Affordable Homes Programme with the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme, adopting a ten-year rent increase plan linked to CPI + 1%, strengthening safety and quality standards, committing over £1 billion to accelerate social housing remediation, enhancing partnerships with private investors and housing associations, supporting innovative affordable housing investment funds, and increasing lending to housing associations.
Andy Hulme, chief executive of The Hyde Group, and Andrea Thorn, director of homes and communities at Riverside, have also expressed support for setting a target for the number of social homes the government should build each year. They urge the government to engage with housing associations on funding and delivering more social housing in the future.
The report also calls for the government to invest in the social housing sector to deliver 90,000 new social rent homes per year, focusing on decarbonisation and fire safety improvements, particularly in light of the Grenfell Tower fire. All political parties are urged to engage with housing associations on funding and delivering more social housing in the future.
Global accounts show record investment in social housing repairs despite ongoing problems. The image is credited to Huy Hóng Hớt.
[1] Housing Today. (2021, October 14). Government commits to doubling social rent homes target. Retrieved from https://www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/government-commits-to-doubling-social-rent-homes-target/
[2] Local Government Association. (2021, October 14). Social housing needs long-term solution to deliver homes. Retrieved from https://www.local.gov.uk/about/news/social-housing-needs-long-term-solution-deliver-homes
[3] The Hyde Group. (2021, October 14). Hyde Group calls for more investment in social housing. Retrieved from https://www.hyde-housing.co.uk/news/hyde-group-calls-for-more-investment-in-social-housing
[4] Riverside. (2021, October 14). Riverside calls for government to build more social homes. Retrieved from https://www.riverside.org.uk/news/riverside-calls-for-government-to-build-more-social-homes
[5] NatWest. (2021, October 14). NatWest pledges £7.5 billion to support new home development. Retrieved from https://www.natwest.com/personal/mortgages/first-time-buyer/news/natwest-pledges-75-billion-to-support-new-home-development.html
- The Local Government Association (LGA) and London Councils, representing local government, have emphasized the need for increased investment in social housing, as they claim that without it, delivery of high-quality, climate-friendly social homes per year, as suggested by Darren Rodwell, looks challenging.
- The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee (LUHC) report on the finances and sustainability of the social housing sector recommends reforms in grants and funding, partnerships with private investors and housing associations, and increased lending to housing associations as key measures to support the sector's growth, including the production of 90,000 new social rent homes per year.
