On 3 March 2026, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) published new forecasts for the economy and public finances. The Chancellor responded to the forecast in her Spring Statement but as expected, there were no major policy announcements. The Government resolved to make major tax and spending announcements once a year, at the Budget, which […]
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook MP has written to the social housing sector announcing that the groundbreaking £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme is now open for bids. He says in the letter: “Taken together with the Spending Review package, we have now provided a decade of certainty across grant funding, rents, regulatory standards and […]
Decency in social housing has barely improved since the pandemic, with around 430,000 homes failing the Decent Homes Standard (DHS), according to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee report published last Monday. Despite news reporting on the headline of stalled progress, the report itself acknowledges higher decency in social housing than private rented […]
The Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) – the membership body for the social housing sector across the North of England – has been awarded the Better Health at Work Award in the Continuing Excellence category, as the organisation marks its 51st year. The Continuing Excellence award reflects the NHC’s focus on being one of the very […]
The Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) is convening a special online roundtable on Monday 2 March 2026, 10am–12pm, to support members engaged in the Government’s Pride in Place Programme (PiPP). Announced in September 2025, PiPP is a 10-year initiative providing £20 million worth of investment to each selected neighbourhood in the scheme, with a strong emphasis […]
This week the government announced a series of major housing policy announcements, ending significant uncertainty around future regulatory requirements and rental income. These announcements include confirmation about how rent convergence will be implemented throughout the 2026 – 2036 rent policy period and the government’s response to major consultations on a new Decent Homes Standard and […]
NHC Procurement is proud to introduce their new Active Fire framework – a fully compliant, cost‑effective route to market for fire safety products and services. Designed to help detect, stop, and prevent fire across every type of building, this framework brings together trusted, accredited suppliers offering: Fire detection and alarm systems Emergency lighting Fire safety […]
Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) Executive Assistant Lynda Redshaw was presented with an MBE for services to social housing in the North of England by her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at Windsor Castle. Lynda, has worked at the NHC for 34 years, continuing beyond retirement age and demonstrating a courageous commitment to her role despite […]
As part of the Northern Housing Consortium’s inquiry into housing-led regeneration – RENEW – we are currently holding an open ‘Call for Evidence’ for stakeholders to contribute any information and insight into housing-led regeneration to inform our work. This Call for Evidence is open until 27th February 2026 and we welcome contributions from representatives from […]
Last week, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published the Warm Homes Plan laying out the government’s plans to provide £15 billion worth of public investment into improving the energy efficiency of homes between now and 2030. The Plan included numerous announcements that are relevant to the housing sector in the North, including: […]