Reformed Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes

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Proposed reforms to the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) will apply to both social and privately rented homes in England. The recent MHCLG consultation invited views on potential changes to the DHS, its implementation, and timelines. The NHC responded to the decent homes consultation and you can read our response here.

We believe the proposed standard requires refinement in certain areas to reflect the distinct business models of the social and private rented sectors, and to ensure that efficiencies and value-for-money can be maximised. This will need clearer guidance and realistic cost assessments to ensure effective implementation.

The proposals are part of a package of wider housing quality reforms including Awaab’s Law, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) Review and the Renters’ Right Bill, which extends the DHS to the private rented sector for the first time.

We have welcomed the government’s commitment to update the Decent Homes Standard and extend it to the private rented sector but we think there is further work to do to adapt the proposals and to reflect the significant impact on the sector.

Our response comments on: 

  • The need to align the proposals with other legislation
  • To invest in local authority enforcement capacity to ensure the new standard benefits tenants in the private rented sector
  • Make sure the standard is compatible with both the private and social rented sectors with different operating models
  • Review the building component list and the age criteria proposals
  • Prior to full rollout work with housing providers to fully cost the impact of the proposals and test how it can be applied in the social housing sector.

We are calling on the Government to work closely with our members to understand the full impact of the proposed Decent Homes Standard, alongside other significant changes such as the revised Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards and Awaab’s Law.

Northern Housing Consortium Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said:

“We welcome the government’s commitment to update the Decent Homes Standard and extend it to the private rented sector – a move that will help ensure safer, healthier housing for 336,000 Northern households currently living in non-decent private rented homes. However, significant investment in local authority capacity to enable enforcement is needed if we want to see real change in the private rented sector.

“We have advocated for an updated set of standards. However, we are concerned that the proposed changes will come with a significant price tag for the social rented sector, that is not reflected by the Government’s assessment of costs.

“We are calling on the Government to work closely with our members to understand the true costs of the proposed Decent Homes Standard, alongside other significant changes such as the revised Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards and Awaab’s Law. Only then can the trade off with other priorities, such as building more homes, be properly understood and considered.

“Consultation with members has highlighted that changes to key aspects of the standard, such as the expanded component list and removal of age criteria, will be challenging to implement for social housing providers. That’s why we’re encouraging the Government to work closely with our members to refine the detail of the standard to make sure it offers value-for-money and the best outcomes for tenants.”

NHC comment on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards consultation

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We’ve submitted our response the Government’s consultation on the proposed new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.  Thank you to all members who input into our response.

Northern Housing Consortium Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said:

“The social housing sector in the North is leading the way with energy efficiency, with 62 per cent of social housing homes meeting the current EPC C. Our members are committed to continuing this journey towards Net Zero.

“To support our members to efficiently implement the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, and other new housing quality legislation including the new Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law, the requirements must be co-ordinated to address any discrepancies. Confirmation of all directly related legislation and standards, such as the new EPC assessment criteria, is also needed as soon as possible to allow providers to plan their work programmes.

“In our consultation response, we argued that a fabric performance metric by 2030 is the only practical option that reflects the reality of the existing supply chain and can be implemented within current business plans. It will provide firm foundations to bring in additional heating system and smart readiness metrics later. Our engagement with social housing providers suggested the cost associated with these other metrics would increase the number of homes which are likely to be exempt, and supply chain issues could hamper roll out.

“We support the proposed 10-year £10,000 spend exemption for homes where it is not economically viable to bring them up to EPC C. Time-limited concessions based on cost are essential to avoid loss of social housing, before replacement homes can be provided, or uneconomic investment in hard-to-treat properties that breaches value-for-money criteria from the Social Housing Regulator. Lower rents and property values in the North mean this a particularly important issue for our members.”

You can read the full consultation response here.

NHC comment on Decent Homes Standard consultation

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Following engagement with members we’ve submitted our response the Government’s consultation on the proposed new Decent Homes Standard.

Northern Housing Consortium Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said:

“We welcome the government’s commitment to update the Decent Homes Standard and extend it to the private rented sector – a move that will help ensure safer, healthier housing for 336,000 Northern households currently living in non-decent private rented homes. However, significant investment in local authority capacity to enable enforcement is needed if we want to see real change in the private rented sector.

“We have advocated for an updated set of standards. However, we are concerned that the proposed changes will come with a significant price tag for the social rented sector, that is not reflected by the Government’s assessment of costs.

“We are calling on the Government to work closely with our members to understand the true costs of the proposed Decent Homes Standard, alongside other significant changes such as the revised Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards and Awaab’s Law. Only then can the trade off with other priorities, such as building more homes, be properly understood and considered.

“Consultation with members has highlighted that changes to key aspects of the standard, such as the expanded component list and removal of age criteria, will be challenging to implement for social housing providers. That’s why we’re encouraging the Government to work closely with our members to refine the detail of the standard to make sure it offers value-for-money and the best outcomes for tenants.”

You can read the full consultation response here.

NHC welcomes the new Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed.  

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Steve Reed MP has been appointed as the new Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as part of the Government’s recent reshuffle.  

Northern Housing Consortium Executive Director of Policy & External Relations Patrick Murray said: 

“We welcome Steve Reed as the new Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Like many in the sector we have enjoyed working with a ministerial team that has placed social housing at the heart of their strategy to drive economic growth and tackle the housing crisis. The Government delivered a once in a generation settlement at the Spending Review, including the new £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme. Our members look forward to continuing to work with Government to deliver much needed new social housing and to improve places across the North.  

“The housing crisis plays out differently in different areas of the country. For example, alongside the need for new homes, supporting regeneration is a real priority across many parts of the North. We support the Government’s devolution agenda to help ensure communities across the country benefit from new investment and that different housing issues across different areas are addressed. We hope the new ministerial team will continue to maintain a strong focus on devolution and its role in supporting communities across the North.” 

NHC submits response to rent convergence consultation

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This week, the NHC submitted our response to the government’s consultation on how to implement rent convergence as part of the next social housing rent policy.

In our response we said that we believe convergence should be reintroduced from 1st April 2026, permitted at a level of £2 per week and for at least 10 years in duration, aligned with the wider ten year rent policy of CPI+1%.

For landlords in the North of England, convergence at £2 per week for 10 years would increase total rental income by £1.73 billion. This benefit would be split almost evenly between local authority landlords and housing associations (52% vs 48% respectively).

A policy of £2 per week also ensures that the vast majority of the benefit of convergence can be achieved within the next few years. This means that additional income can be used within this parliament to deliver on several of the government’s housing ambitions, including building 1.5 million new homes and delivering new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for social homes.

Patrick Murray, Executive Director of Policy and External Relations, said:

Rent convergence is an important lever that will unlock greater investment in new and existing homes across the North. A £2 per week policy would not only deliver greater financial capacity for landlords in the North—it would do so faster, enabling meaningful reinvestment in this parliament. Crucially, a policy of £2 per week over ten years strikes the right balance between enabling greater investment by landlords and ensuring that rents remain affordable for residents. 

 You can read our full submission here.

Call for applications for MHCLGs Social Housing Resident’s Panel

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MHCLG have announced the opportunity for social housing tenants to join the Social Housing Resident’s Panel. The Panel’s purpose is to ensure that social housing residents have a direct vehicle to engage with government ministers and officials, to make sure that tenants voices, views and experiences inform social housing policy and delivery.

Within this opportunity residents on the panel will have the chance to provide feedback on government housing policies and proposals, share their lived experience and insights on housing issues and participate in discussions and research activities with government ministers and officials.

In terms of eligibility, the panel consists of social housing residents, including those who live in homes for social rent, affordable rent, and low-cost home ownership. New panel members will be selected to join existing panel members, to ensure the Panel is representative of different regions, ages, ethnicities and backgrounds

Interested residents can apply to join the panel by visiting the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/et8Z2Q3JKc

The closing date for applications is Sunday 7th September, 23:00

We’d like to encourage members to promote this with their tenants to ensure that Northern tenant’s voices are represented on the panel. It is especially important at such a crucial time for the sector, with both DHS and MEES reform, as well as the major ambitions of the government on building new social and affordable homes, that there are strong tenant voices to help support both agendas.

 

Building the Future: Northern Homes, National Ambition 

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On Monday 29 September, 6:30pm – 8:30pm, we will be holding a joint event – Building the Future: Northern Homes, National Ambition – with Homes for the North at Labour Party conference.

One year into a new government, housing and regeneration are once again central to delivering growth and transforming Northern communities. Planning reform, infrastructure investment and a renewed focus on affordable homes are shaping some of the most ambitious targets in a generation – placing delivery firmly in the spotlight.

The Northern Housing Consortium, with Homes for the North and Muse, are embarking upon a new Inquiry exploring where next for housing-led regeneration in the North.

Our reception will bring together sector partners, parliamentarians, metro mayors and council leaders to discuss how the North is leading the way in turning ambition into action.

Set in the heart of the conference fringe, the evening will offer a relaxed space to:

  • Discuss the North’s progress on housing delivery
  • Engage with national, regional and local government leaders
  • Connect with the housing associations shaping the future of housing and place-making
  • Find out more about the new Inquiry on housing-led regeneration in the North

 This is a key moment to reflect on what’s been achieved – and to look ahead at how housing can drive growth, renewal, and opportunity across the North.

The reception will be held at PlusDane offices, conveniently located adjacent to the main conference venue.

Any NHC members who wish to attend should email: ellie.nagy@lexcomm.co.uk

Unlocking Success gives “a renewed sense of hope and motivation”, Miriam’s Story

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One of this year’s Unlocking Success Bursary Scheme recipients shared how the bursary is helping with the next step in her career.

The Unlocking Success Bursary Scheme, funded through the Northern Housing Consortium Charitable Trust, provides £500 grants to social housing residents across the North of England who are pursuing education, training, or employment opportunities. The bursary is designed to remove practical barriers, whether that’s covering course fees, buying equipment, or supporting travel costs, so recipients can focus on building their future.

Miriam, a Bolton at Home tenant, said:

“When I received the call from my housing support officer…I was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. It was such an encouraging and uplifting moment.

“Thank you once again for this generous support—it has truly given me a renewed sense of hope and motivation.”

Miriam is completing a Skills Bootcamp and preparing to start a Level 2 Adult Health and Social Care course this September. The bursary will help her purchase a computer, making job applications more manageable and improving the chances of finding meaningful work in the field.

To learn more about the bursary, visit https://bursary.northern-consortium.org.uk.

To book a place at this year’s bursary celebration and fundraiser, contact Lynda Redshaw on: Lynda.redshaw@northern-consortium.org.uk

NHC responds to government consultation on the Fair Funding Review

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Last week, we submitted a detailed response to the government’s Fair Funding Review, calling for a funding system that reflects the real needs of the North, supports the long-term sustainability of councils and enables them to deliver the services their communities value.

In our submission, we said:

The North Has Shouldered the Heaviest Cuts
Since 2010/11, local authorities in the North have seen a 30.2% drop in net expenditure—more than the national average. These cuts have hit non-statutory services hardest, from street cleaning and community safety to libraries and housing strategy. We believe the Fair Funding Review must address this imbalance and restore spending power in these areas.

Homelessness Costs Are Escalating
Spending on homelessness and temporary accommodation in the North has more than trebled in five years, now exceeding £270 million annually. We support proposals to simplify funding streams and giving councils the flexibility to respond effectively, but funding allocations will need to reflect the scale of the challenge.

Reinvesting in Housing Capacity
To ensure that councils can support the government in delivering its 1.5 million home target, both directly through building new council homes and working with the private sector, we’re calling for dedicated funding to rebuild housing and planning capacity within councils—supporting the delivery of new homes aligned with local priorities. Between 2010/11 and 2024/25, net expenditure on housing strategy, enabling and advice has fallen by 71% in real terms, while expenditure on development control, building control and planning policy has fallen by 51%.

The Area Cost Adjustment (ACA) Needs Reform
Under current proposals, the ACA will result in a reduction of funding for the most deprived areas. Of the 79 authorities set to lose out, 46 are in the North. Instead, the ACA should explicitly consider deprivation as part of its calculations or introduce a funding floor to protect the poorest areas.

Statutory Duties Risk Crowding Out Community Services
The growing burden of statutory services—especially adult and children’s social care—is squeezing out investment in wider services that are highly valued by residents across the North. Expenditure on cultural and related services (community centres, libraries, heritage, recreation etc.) has reduced by 45% in real terms since 2010/11. Statutory services provide vital support for some of the most vulnerable in society, but this overwhelming burden and the subsequent reduction in non-statutory service provision risks eroding public trust and community cohesion.

We Need Long-Term Investment in Local Services
Restoring funding for non-statutory services to 2010/11 levels would cost £1.1bn annually—just 3.3% of the North’s local authority revenue budget. This investment would be transformative, helping us rebuild pride in place and support better homes and neighbourhoods.

 The Fair Funding Review is a critical opportunity to reset the balance. We’re calling on government to ensure that funding reflects the real challenges the North faces and empowers our members to build and support great places across the North.

“This is a key moment for housing and local government in the North. If we want to build thriving communities, improve housing quality for private renters and deliver the homes people need, restored council capacity will need to play a key role in delivery. The Fair Funding Review is a great opportunity to put local authorities on a more sustainable financial footing and in a position to deliver on the government’s agenda across this parliament.”
Tracy Harrison, Chief Executive, NHC

Briefing on Housing Announcements

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Earlier in the month the government made several significant housing announcements, following on from the spending review. The NHC sent out an email briefing to all members summarising the changes and what they mean for the social housing in the North.

A summary of the different announcements and links to the full briefing articles are below.

We are responding to Government consultations on implementation of rent convergence, the new Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). As part of our engagement with members we’re holding the following roundtables:

30th July 2 – 3:30pm Implementation of Rent Convergence Roundtable

5th August 10 – 11:30am Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

6th August 2 – 3:30pm Policy Network – all three consultations will be discussed here.

You can find out more about the events and book you place via MyNHC.

 

Government Housing Announcements:

New five step plan for housing: The government has published a new five step plan for social and affordable housing ‘Delivering a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing’. This high-level strategy sets out how the Government will work with the housing sector to increase the amount of social rent homes and improve quality.

Further details of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme revealed: Details of the new programme have been confirmed including that 60% of funding will be for social rent and that there will be flexibility to support regeneration, a key priority in the North.

Government announces consultation on how to reintroduce rent convergence: The government has launched a consultation on how to implement rent convergence, with a suggested rate of £1 – £2 per week.

Reformed Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes:  The long-awaited consultation on the new Decent Homes Standard has now launched and will be open until 10th September.

Reforming the Right to Buy:  The Government has published its response to a consultation on the Right to Buy, including strengthened protections for new-build properties and a longer qualification period for existing tenants.

Health and Safety Hazards in Social Housing: ‘Awaab’s Law’ and Electrical Safety Requirements: Further details have been published by the Government on the implementation of Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law, set to come into force in October 2025.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards consultation launched: The Government is consulting on new, stronger Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). This includes proposals for all social housing homes to meet be a minimum of EPC C by 2030 and changes to the EPC rating system.

New National Housing Bank: A new subsidiary of Homes England will be established by the Government to support the development of 500,000 new homes. This is good news for the North as it should boost delivery of new homes, particularly on more complex sites, such as those on brownfield land.

New Government support for councils to increase housebuilding: New funding has been announced to help local authorities increase their housing and planning capacity.

On the day of the announcements NHC Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said:

“This package of Government announcements has struck a balance between delivering much-needed new social housing and ensuring the quality of existing homes. We especially welcome the Government retaining flexibility in the Social and Affordable Homes Programme for funding to be used to replace existing homes. Housing-led regeneration has a significant role to play in making sure everyone in the North has access to a safe, warm home in a place they’re proud of.

“Confirmation that the new Decent Homes Standard will be applied to the private rented sector, as well as the social rented sector, is welcome news for Northerners, with over a quarter of private rented homes in the North not meeting the current standard. We will be working closely with members on a detailed consultation response but are pleased the Government is proposing a ten-year implementation period.

“We are optimistic that the combination of confirmation of quality standards and long-term rent certainty will offer members the stability they need to plan investment in homes and places.”