Homelessness statistics
On 20 February 2017 the UK Statistics Authority published a letter written in response to a complaint by Baroness Grender concerning homelessness statistics released by the DCLG. The authority has expressed concern about potentially misleading figures for homelessness. For the letter,
click here For coverage in
The Guardian,
click here
Housing starts
On 23 February 2017 the DCLG announced that the number of new build homes that have started to be built continued to rise last year to the highest level since 2007. The latest house building data show that 153,370 new homes were started in the year to December, up 5% on the previous year. More than 140,500 homes were completed in the year to December 2016. For the announcement,
click here For the data,
click here
Anti-social behaviour in social housing – England
On 25 February 2017
the House of Commons Library published a briefing paper providing an overview of the remedies available to social landlords to deal with tenants who exhibit anti-social behaviour. The paper focuses on England but some of the same legislation applies in Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland operate under different legislative regimes. To read the briefing,
click here
Anti-social neighbours living in private housing – England
On 25 February 2017 the House of Commons Library published a briefing paper outlining the legal position and potential remedies available where people find themselves living next door to tenants of private landlords or owner-occupiers who exhibit anti-social behaviour. The briefing focuses on the legal position in England. To read the briefing,
click here
Forces Help to Buy scheme
On 23 February 2017 the Ministry of Defence published latest statistics for the Forces Help to Buy scheme for January 2017. 789 First Stage applications (ie those which pass initial eligibility checks) were received; 319 Second Stage applications (ie those which pass detailed eligibility checks) were received; 241 payments were made to Service personnel. Since the Scheme began in April 2014: 20,374 First Stage applications have been received; 12,186 of these applications have proceeded to the Second Stage; payment has been made to around 9,950 applicants, totalling over £150 million, an average of approximately £15,100 per claim. For the full statistics,
click here
Help to Buy – Wales: Shared Equity Loan scheme
On 22 February 2017 the Welsh Government published statistics for the
Help to Buy - Wales: Shared Equity Loan scheme. Between 1 October to 31 December 2016, 555 property purchases were completed using a Welsh Government shared equity loan. This brings the total number of purchases under Help to Buy Wales since its introduction on 2 January 2014 to 4,619. At 31 December 2016 there were 528 applications for loans still outstanding. Between 1 October to 31 December 2016, the total value of these equity loans was £20.4 million, with the value of the properties purchased totalling £103 million. For the statistics in full,
click here
Rough sleeping – London
On 27 February 2017 the London Assembly announced that rough sleeping is on the rise in London “with an alarming number of non-UK nationals among them”. In 2015/16, 59 per cent of London’s rough sleepers were not UK nationals; 74 per cent of London’s rough sleepers had support needs relating to mental health, alcohol or drugs; and 32 per cent of those sleeping rough had been in prison, 10 per cent had been in care, and 8 per cent had been in the armed forces. The Assembly said that the problem continues despite more availability of first stage hostel beds, more funding and a number of other measures. For more details,
click here
Home building post-Brexit – London
On 27 February 2017 the Mayor of London published figures showing almost 100,000 of the capital’s construction workforce are from the European Union. Sadiq Khan warned that a loss of skilled EU workers could have a seriously detrimental effect on home building and other construction projects in London. For more details,
click here
Right to Buy – Wales
On 22 February 2017 First Minister Carwyn Jones announced that the Right to Buy will be suspended for five years in Flintshire to ensure social housing is available for those who need it. The move comes ahead of the Welsh Government introducing legislation to abolish the Right to Buy across the whole of Wales. For more details,
click here
New CEO at Shelter
On 21 February 2017 the housing and homelessness charity Shelter announced that Polly Neate, formerly the CEO of Women’s Aid, will become the new CEO of Shelter. She will take up her position on 14 August 2017. For the announcement,
click here
Housing benefit changes
On 25 February 2017 Communities, Social Security and Equalities Secretary Angela Constance wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, saying that “urgent reassurance is required that the UK Government will not impose changes to housing benefit for 18-21 year olds in Scotland while discussions continue between governments. The DWP’s plans to remove entitlement for this benefit for young people are not restricted to Scotland. To read the letter,
click here
Benefit cap
On 22 February 2017 the Work and Pensions Committee launched an inquiry into the benefit cap and how it is affecting British households. The Committee welcomes written submissions for which the deadline is Friday 7 April 2017. Terrie Alafat CBE, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, commented: “Our research [published in November 2016] has revealed the new lower cap, which came into effect last November, could make housing in many parts of the UK inaccessible.” For details of the Committee’s inquiry,
click here For the CIH response,
click here For the CIH research,
click here
Children and homelessness
On 22 February 2017 the Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) announced that a group of 26 children and young people, aged eight to twenty years old, are launching
Change It!, a national campaign on children’s rights and homelessness. The Change It! group come from across England and are supported by CRAE. For more information about the campaign,
click here
Young asylum seekers and accommodation
On 27 February 2017 the Equality and Human Rights Commission welcomed the High Court’s judgment in
R (on the application of S) v London Borough of Croydon & Anor [2017] EWHC 265 (Admin), which found that young asylum seekers claiming asylum as children should be treated as such and housed in child appropriate accommodation until the completion of a legal age assessment. The Commission said: “This judgment means recognition of the importance of the safety and well-being of young people claiming asylum. They cannot be trapped in legal limbo while awaiting age assessments.” For the judgment,
click here For a summary in
Local Government Lawyer,
click here For the EHRC statement,
click here
Legal aid: housing and debt services – Hertfordshire
On 23 February 2017 the Legal Aid Agency invited expressions of interest from 2013 Standard Civil Contract holders for the delivery of housing and debt services in the North Hertfordshire procurement area. This opportunity is open to all holders of the 2013 Standard Civil Contract, and is not limited to current housing and debt providers. For more details,
click here
Rogue landlords
On 21 February 2017 the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health called for offences that would trigger banning orders for rogue landlords under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to be widened. Under current plans, landlords would be banned from renting out property for failing to carry out work required by the council to prevent a health and safety risk to tenants or threatening tenants with violence. Banning orders are set to come into effect in October. In a response to consultation, CIEH says that relevant prosecutions for banning orders should include those taken for illegal eviction under act of 1977 and 1985 and for harassment taken under 1997 legislation. For more information,
click here
Affordable homes
On 27 February 2017 Lloyds Bank released its annual analysis of housing affordability. It concluded that home affordability in cities is at its worst since 2008. Average city house prices have outpaced earnings growth over last five years and are now nearly seven times annual earnings. Greater London house prices have recovered the fastest following the downturn with an increase of 57% between 2012 and 2017. Oxford tops the list of least affordable cities and Stirling is the UK’s most affordable city. To read more,
click here