No Tenure Breakdown For Affordable Homes Programme

Budget 2020 pitched a new multi-year settlement of £12bn to the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) – but the MHCLG does not break down programme funding by tenure. Confirmation came in the response from Housing Minister Christopher Pincher to a written Commons question. Pincher confirmed MHCLG did not break down funding by tenure for AHP which aimed to deliver “at least” 12,500 social rent homes to defined high-cost areas. Budget 2020 pitched a new multi-year settlement of £12bn to the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP). This sum represents a rise of £3bn increase on the current five-year AHP worth £9bn and is due to end in 2021. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/no-tenure-breakdown-for-affordable-homes-programme/

Shared Ownership Buyers Confused About Tenure

The majority of residents in shared ownership schemes are unaware that they can move between properties and are put off increasing their stake in a home by high costs, according to a new survey. The survey asked 200 people who own homes through shared ownership schemes what they thought of the model in a bid to ascertain why take-up could be stifled. Just 14% of those surveyed said they had received information about shared ownership via the government, with most learning of schemes through housing associations. More than half weren’t aware that they could move between properties, and of those who did know, 27% were unsure of the process to do so. Read more on Inside Housing.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/shared-ownership-buyers-confused-about-tenure-research-shows-58151?utm_source=Housing60&utm_medium=email&utm_content=article_link&utm_campaign=H60

What Is The English Housing Survey Telling Us?

Read a very useful analysis of the English Housing Survey from @katefaulkner showing interesting changes in tenure trends https://t.co/DifvP8VPou

Tory ‘Buy As You Go’ Plan To Make Renters Homeowners

Families who are “just managing” will have the chance to buy their homes after 25 years of paying rent, under government plans being considered. A new type of tenure, to be called “buy as you go”, is expected to be announced as part of a major revamp of the housing market at the end of this month. Buyers will not need to have paid a deposit or require a mortgage but will build up equity in their homes over time. The policy is set to be unveiled during the chancellor’s autumn statement, with details to be published in a housing white paper shortly afterwards. Read more on the Observer website.

Five-Year Tenancies Would Only Work For 'One In 10'

Only 10 per cent of social housing tenants who have been living in their homes for five years would be able to move out of the sector, a new report has found. Family Mosaic carried out a survey of residents who began their tenancies in 2006 in a response to government proposals to introduce minimum five-year tenancies as part of the Localism Bill. The report – ‘Changing direction’ – said that the government, along with housing associations, should develop new models to enable home ownership. Brendan Sarsfield, chief executive of Family Mosaic said that the 20,000-home association was examining the introduction of a shared ownership scheme which included a five-year rent holiday to encourage more social tenants out of the sector. Download a copy of the report from the Family Mosaic website.

Social Landlords to Foot £123m Tenure Reform Bill

Councils have condemned a ‘scandalous’ multimillion pound bill for overhauling their allocations and tenure policies. The government has revealed that it could cost local authorities £56 million to implement its plans to reform tenure and up to £3.7 million to close their waiting lists to accept only people they define to be in housing need. Housing associations will foot a £63 million bill. Councils said the cost, revealed in a series of CLG impact assessments on the Decentralisation and Localism Bill, would squeeze resources at a time when their budgets are being slashed by central government. The total £123 million cost, split between strategic local housing authorities, local authority landlords and housing associations, includes a £54 million bill for reviewing tenancies and £5 million in court fees to remove tenants who refuse to leave their homes as a result of the reforms. Read more on Inside Housing.

Tenure and Rents - Parliamentry Written Answer

David Crausby MP (Labour, Bolton North East – Bolton at Home): Will CLG assess the effect on the (a) right to remain, (b) rent levels and (c) succession rights of social housing tenants of his proposals for social housing?
Grant Shapps MP: There will be no changes to the security and rights of existing social tenants. The Government proposes to provide social landlords with freedom to offer fixed-term or lifetime tenancies and additional succession rights to new tenants. We propose that landlords will continue to let properties at social rents except where development agreements reached with the Homes and Communities Agency provide for an Affordable Rent to apply. Detailed information about the new delivery model for affordable housing will be published in the new year. In addition a written ministerial statement setting out more details on the Affordable Rent product was made on 9 December 2010.

The Localism Bill

The CLG has published its long-awaited Localism Bill. This major piece of legislation has huge implications for social housing and local government.
Here is a break down of the key Social Housing components of the Bill;
*Social Housing Allocations reform
*Reform of Homelessness legislation
*Social Housing Tenure reform
*Reform of Council Housing Finance
*National Homeswap Scheme
*Reform of Social Housing Regulation
*Facilitating moves out of the social rented sector
Find more detail on the 24dash website.

Councils Split Over Fixed-Term Tenancies

Town halls across England will resist the government’s controversial social housing reforms by refusing to scrap tenancy for life, a snapshot survey has revealed. In a sign that the national Liberal Democrat leadership is falling out of step with local parties, some senior councillors have pledged to eschew the fixed-term tenancies the coalition government plans to introduce next year. Lib Dem housing portfolio holders or council leaders said they were against the introduction of short-term tenancies, seven said they were undecided and just one supported the reforms. Read more on Inside Housing.

Human Rights Could Stop Government’s New Social Tenancy Scheme

European human rights laws could override the Government’s proposal that new style social tenancies could be brought to an end if a tenant’s financial circumstances improve says the Residential Landlords Association (RLA). The CLG has published a consultation on its proposed reforms to social housing. The announcement signals the potential end to security of tenure in the social sector. The RLA believe that the government may not have taken account of the European Convention on Human Rights which could make it difficult to evict a tenant even though the tenant may no longer qualify for subsidised social housing. At the same time the RLA is particularly worried about how private landlords may be prevented from recovering possession once private sector assured shorthold tenancies have come to an end. This follows on from a recent case where the Supreme Court overturned the previous approach of the English Courts and brought them into line with the European Court of Human Rights judgments. This means that potentially each case where a local authority evicts has to be reviewed to see whether eviction is “proportionate”. This is because it is a “public authority”. The case concerned local authority powers to end tenancies where the tenant does not have lifetime security of tenure. Read more on the RLA website.

Shapps Ends Council Tenants' 'Home for Life': Consultation

New council and social housing tenants in England will not necessarily keep their homes for life, housing minister Grant Shapps announced today (22 November) in a reform of social housing consultation. He said normal tenancy agreements would be for five, 10, 20 years or even a lifetime, but local organisations should have the freedom to see what worked in their areas. The “Local Decisions: A Fair Future for Social Housing”, consultation has been published this morning. Mr Shapps stressed that his proposals would not affect existing tenants. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We need to start to resolve some of the problems, build more homes and actually help people. What we are creating is a new form of tenancy and affordable rent which is going to be significantly more protected than the private rented sector. There's no reason why a home in future should always be the home for life. You don't get that in the private sector." He went on: "The norm is very likely to be quite a significant length tenancy, five, 10, 20 years or a lifetime." The most vulnerable will be protected under the reforms, he said. Read more on 24dash.

Two-Year Tenures Proposed For Council and RSL Tenants

New social housing tenants could be kicked out of their homes after as little as two years under Government plans. In a move that will anger some Liberal Democrat MPs, coalition moves to put an end to lifetime tenancies will go even further than previously indicated. Prime Minister David Cameron has already said he wants an end to council tenancies for life and the introduction of fixed-term contracts of "five or 10 years". But, under recently announced reforms, councils and housing associations will be able to offer contracts of just two years. Tenants whose financial circumstances have improved could then be evicted, although they would be entitled to at least six months' notice. Housing associations will also be able to charge rent of up to 80% of the market rate so that they can raise money to buy new properties. The changes will only apply to new tenants - those already on lifetime tenancies and social rents will keep their current contracts. Read more on the CLG website.

Social Rented Housing - Parliamentary Written Answer

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for CLG what estimate he has made of the number of individuals in households in which at least one member works for at least 16 hours per week who will (a) have their income reduced and (b) fall below the equivalised poverty threshold of 60 per cent. of median household income as a result of his proposals on the level of rent which social landlords may charge new tenants.
Grant Shapps: We will publish more detail on the implementation of new 'affordable rent' tenure shortly. Existing social tenants will retain their existing rights and tenure. Our proposals will involve increasing the affordable housing stock, increasing opportunity and quality of life for those currently on housing waiting lists.

Peers Debate Changes to Social Housing – House of Lords Oral Answers

Baroness Hollis of Heigham (Labour – Former Work and Pensions Minister): Is it not the case that if you cannot find a job your Housing Benefit is cut after 12 months, your rent arrears mount up, you are evicted and you become homeless? Equally, however, if you find a job with an adequate income, you are also likely to lose your home and be encouraged to move into a different form of tenure. So, fail to get a job and you are out; get a job and you are out. Is that decent?
Baroness Hanham (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, CLG): I think it is. When the income of some people who are living in subsidised accommodation rises after taking that accommodation, their change in circumstances needs to be taken into account. We have just discussed housing benefit levels. As far as I can see from the proposals, nobody will be evicted. Everyone will be given an opportunity. Local housing authorities will have the responsibility to ensure that they deal with people decently and respectably.

Lord Skelmersdale (Conservative): Are the Government looking at the knotty subject of succession tenancy in social and local authority subsidised housing?
Baroness Hanham: The answer is yes for future tenancies, and no for existing tenancies and arrangements.

Lord Best (Crossbencher): On housing benefit, am I right in thinking that, following the announcement in the CSR, somebody in their 30s in a one-bedroom flat who loses their job will find that if they need housing benefit they will have to leave that flat, where they might have lived for some time, and find somewhere to share with other people? That is a fairly tall order in many parts of the country. Is that the position we find ourselves in with the raising of the level for housing benefit?
Baroness Hanham: My Lords, I need to write to the noble Lord about that, if I may. His question is quite technical.

Shapps: Social Housing Reforms Will Give 'More Bang For Your Buck'

A slash of more than 50% of the social housing budget will severely hamper the industry's ability to build new homes and reduce the 1.8 million households on waiting lists.  But perhaps more significantly, it’s new measures that will allow housing associations to set rents – up to 80% of the market rate – and plans to introduce flexible ‘fixed-term’ tenures that has left the industry wondering what the role of social housing is under the Coalition Government.  The new ‘affordable rent’ scheme, says housing minister Grant Shapps, will stump up around 155,000 homes over the next four years, with HAs using the subsidy from increased rents to build new homes.  The rest, he adds, will be built via the remaining £4.5bn social housing budget, slashed from £8.4bn. The £2bn allocation to build more social homes, he anticipates, will provide around 60,000 extra homes.  In addition to the £4.5bn package, there is also a £2bn fund for the continuation of Decent Homes work, handing ALMOs a boost in the wake of many councils considering moves to take their housing services back in house.  Read more of what Grant Shapps has to say on 24dash.

Safe as Houses? Security of Tenure for Social Housing Tenants In England

The Liberal Think Tank, Centre Forum has published a briefing outlining its concerns to the proposed changes to security of tenure.  Safe as houses? Security of tenure for social housing tenants in England argues that the Government's plans to restrict security of tenure would change the understanding which has historically been at the heart of social housing, forcing families to move out of their homes and removing tenants who often serve as the 'social glue' which helps bind communities together. Instead, it proposes that greater flexibility could be introduced into the existing social housing stock by periodically reassessing the circumstances of social tenants, with those who can afford to do so paying a market rent, with the additional revenue ringfenced for reinvestment in the housing supply.  Download the briefing from the Centre Forum website by clicking on the logo below.

Social Housing Budget 'To Be Cut In Half'

The social housing budget in England is to be cut by more than 50% in the Spending Review, the BBC understands.  Council housing "for life" will also be phased out, with the needs of new council tenants assessed over time.  Despite the cuts, ministers are likely to set a target of building 150,000 affordable homes, changing the way councils charge rent to finance them.  Tenants will be charged nearer the going market rate, to release cash for the building programme.  It claimed more than 360,000 jobs would be lost in the construction industry every year if cuts on the scale being proposed were introduced.  Ministers are expected to introduce a "flexible tenancy" for people who move into council housing for the first time.  Tenants will be checked over a period of time to see if they still require help with housing from their local authority.  Housing Minister Grant Shapps said he hoped to legislate later this year to create a National Home Swap Scheme, which would allow people in unsuitable accommodation - such as a pensioner who wants to move to a smaller home - to swap for something more suitable.  There are currently some eight million tenants in social housing in England.  More than 250,000 households live in overcrowded conditions while a further 430,000 are unable to easily downsize from larger properties they no longer need. Read more on the BBC website.

Labour Attacks Tenure Reform Plans

Labour MPs have attacked government plans to review lifetime tenancies in a motion to be debated at the party’s annual conference. The motion criticises the coalition’s ‘destructive housing policies’ on housing benefit, investment in affordable housing and closing housing quangos. It says the plans to reform tenure, first announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in August, were ‘in neither Tory nor Liberal manifestos and was denied by Cameron during the election, who accused Labour of “scaremongering”’. It accuses the coalition of enacting ‘a betrayal of everything the Liberal Democrats have said about security of tenure in the past’. The motion also criticises the government’s decision to close the Tenant Services Authority and the National Tenant Voice. It has also emerged that the Labour Housing Group is conducting a review of the party’s housing policy in preparation for the next general election. Read more on Inside Housing.

Voters to Decide On Lifetime Tenancies

Security of tenure could become a political football in every local authority area, under proposals being drawn up by the coalition government. A consultation on plans to reform tenancies for future social tenants is due to be published in the next few weeks. Junior housing minister Andrew Stunell has suggested that the plans would see parties offer different tenancy solutions as part of local election campaigns. He said the reforms could become ‘a point of political competition for local authorities, where one group might say “we are going to keep tenancy for life”, and another might say “we want to drive down waiting lists”.’ The consultation will propose giving councils discretion over whether to scrap tenancy for life and offer fixed-term tenancies. Read more on Inside Housing.

DWP Concerned By Tenure Reform Plans

The Department for Work and Pensions is unhappy about government plans to reform security of tenure and to cut housing benefit, a minister has revealed. Pensions minister Steve Webb, Liberal Democrat MP for Northavon, told a meeting on welfare reform at his party’s annual conference that scrapping lifetime tenancies for social tenants would not help people get back into work. He also criticised Treasury plans announced in June’s emergency Budget to dock housing benefit by 10 per cent for those who have been receiving jobseeker’s allowance for more than a year. He said: ‘[Removing security of tenure] would make the problem worse. I would be very concerned if they did that.’ Read more on Inside Housing.