Budget briefing letter from Angela Rayner MP
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner MP has asked the NHC to share a letter outlining the key housing announcements in the budget.
The letter covers:
- Affordable Homes Programme £500m top-up
- Rent settlement – proposal for 5-year CPI plus 1% settlement with a consultation which looks at longer term options.
- Right to Buy changes – including reducing discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels and enabling councils to keep all the receipts
- Building safety – £1 billion fund for the remediation of unsafe housing.
NHC Chief Executive, Tracy Harrison, said:
“We appreciate the Deputy Prime Minister taking the time to write this letter. It’s another welcome indication of the importance she places on housing, and a desire to work in partnership with the sector.
“There are lots of positives to take away from this Budget. We strongly advocated for a top-up to the Affordable Homes Programme in the run up to the Budget. The rent settlement will give housing providers more certainty to plan investment and changes to Right to Buy should help stem the loss of social homes.
“These are all great first steps, but there’s lots of work to do to in the run-up to the Spending Review and through the rent consultation. We know our members need long-term financial certainty to improve the quality of existing homes, including making them warmer and greener, and to deliver new homes on the scale required to meet government ambitions.
“We will continue to engage with the Government so the housing sector in the North can work in partnership with Government to deliver real change on the ground.”
The NHC On-the-Day Budget briefing gives more detailed information about what the budget means for housing in the North. Please contact Executive Director of Policy and Public Affairs Patrick Murray(patrick.murray@northern-consortium.org.uk) if you would like to discuss the Budget.
Heartwarming Homes shortlisted at UK Housing Awards
Heartwarming Homes, a joint NHC, Placeshapers and Tpas project, has been shortlisted for Campaign of the Year at the UK Housing Awards.
Developed in partnership with residents and representatives from the housing sector Heartwarming Homes supports housing providers to engage and communicate with residents about energy efficiency improvements. It includes advice about how to make energy efficiency an easy choice for residents, a step-by-step communication guide, template letters, a video tour of a retrofitted home, and much more.
The website had over 10,000 visits in the first year and has received excellent feedback from the sector and residents. 94 per cent of housing providers surveyed said the recommendations were practical to implement and residents felt it offered something genuinely different.
A resident said:
“It makes you feel as though you and your home and health matter to your landlord, and they are trying to help you reduce your bills to give you more money in your pocket.”
NHC Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said:
“I’m very proud that this piece of work has been shortlisted for Campaign of the Year. Resident engagement about retrofit consistently comes up as a challenge for members, and this toolkit offers practical advice about how you can improve communication and make sure resident engagement is embedded in your energy efficiency planning. This toolkit is a fantastic example of collaboration, it shows what can be achieved when we work together to address a common problem.”
Placeshapers Chief Executive Catherine Ryder said:
“The Heartwarming Homes toolkit is a great example of co-creation between residents and social housing landlords. When landlords use this toolkit, they can be confident it has been robustly shaped by residents and builds on best practice from across the sector.
“We are delighted it has been shortlisted for this award, but more importantly that the practical advice in the toolkit is being put into practice by landlords across the country, improving the experience of residents when they have retrofit work done on their homes.”
The project was born out of recommendations from the NHC’s Social Housing Tenants’ Climate Jury and Placeshaper’s and Tpas research Residents’ Voices in the Net Zero Journey about improving communication with residents about retrofit.
The results of the UK Housing Awards will be announced on 26th November.
New Strategic Place Partnerships announced as devolution grows across the North
Two Northern Mayoral Combined Authorities have signed new Strategic Place Partnerships (SPPs). the North East Combined Authority and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority entering new partnerships with Homes England.
Strategic Place Partnerships are agreements between Mayoral Combined Authorities and Homes England to enable greater collaboration to deliver new housing and regeneration developments, in line with local ambitions. In the North, SPPs have now been signed between Homes England and Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, North East and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authorities.
Meanwhile, these announcements came alongside recent large investments for regeneration schemes in both the North East and Liverpool City Region. These include alongside a £51 million investment in the regeneration of Birkenhead, as well as a £30 million investment to accelerate the Riverside development in Sunderland in the North East.
More information on both Strategic Place Partnerships can be found at the links below:
Chancellor makes pre-Budget social housing policy and funding commitments
Over the weekend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announced a package of housing related funding and policy changes. This included a £500m top-up to the affordable housing programme, consultation on a new rent settlement and changes to the Right to Buy scheme, reducing the discount and allowing councils to keep 100 per cent of receipts.
Northern Housing Consortium Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said:
“The £500m top-up for the Affordable Homes Programme will mean our members can continue building and is something we advocated for strongly in the run-up to the Budget. A 5-year CPI+1% rent settlement (with a consultation including a ten-year option) will give housing providers more certainty to plan investment. Changes to Right-to-Buy should help stem the loss of social homes.
“These are all great first steps, but there’s lots of work to do to in the run-up to the Spending Review and through the rent consultation. Our members need long-term financial certainty to improve the quality of existing homes, including making them warmer and greener, and to deliver new homes on the scale required to meet government ambitions.
“At the NHC we’ll strongly advocate for investment that supports delivery in the North where regeneration matters, and HMT value-for-money rules (and their narrow interpretation) have too often locked out much needed projects. Deepening devolution, with more local control over funding, will make sure government funds make the biggest possible difference to communities in the North.”
The Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) announcement followed numerous sector reports that the current AHP was close to fully committed. In the run up to the Budget, we made this point to government, including providing data on a number of housing sites where progress had stalled due to funding uncertainty. This announcement will go some way to support affordable housing providers in the North to continue developing, while we await the full details of a post-2026 Affordable Homes Programme in the Spring.
The Chancellor confirmed that social housing rents will be permitted to rise by CPI +1% for five years, with a consultation to launch seeking views on potential alternatives. This consultation will include potentially extending the CPI +1% rent policy to ten years, which has been the policy ask of the NHC and other sector bodies in recent months. Providing greater long-term certainty on future rental income levels will free up additional resources to invest in new and existing homes and is critical to achieving the government’s goals for social housing.
The government also announced changes to the Right to Buy scheme. Firstly, local authorities will now be able to retain 100% of the receipts they receive from any sale through Right to Buy. In addition, it has been confirmed that Right to Buy discounts will be reduced and additional protections on new-build properties will be introduced. It is hoped that these changes will both provide local authorities with greater resources to fund replacement homes following Right to Buy sales, as well as reducing the current disincentive to develop new homes that councils face, as they risk being sold off at a discount shortly after completion.
Overall, this package of changes is a strong first step in addressing some of the most immediate pressures facing the affordable housing sector, and demonstrates that the government is listening. Thank you to our members who provided detailed information to support our case to the Government to help secure much-needed funding. You can read the NHC’s full Budget representation to HM Treasury here.
Watch out for our on-the-day briefing which will cover all the announcements which will impact the housing sector in the North.
Free Summit tickets for underrepresented groups
At the NHC, we believe that the housing industry is stronger and more innovative when it reflects the diverse communities it serves. That’s why, as part of our commitment to fostering inclusion and empowering all voices, we are offering a limited number of free tickets to the Northern Housing Summit for housing professionals from underrepresented groups.
These free tickets are designed for aspiring leaders who might not typically have the chance to attend a conference of this kind.
This year’s Summit brings together thought leaders, innovators, and changemakers in the housing sector. We want to make sure the conversation includes a diverse range of perspectives. Confernce attendees will have the opportunity to:
- Network with industry peers and experts
- Participate in impactful discussions on the future of housing
- Gain insights into the latest trends and best practices
- Contribute to shaping an inclusive housing landscape
What is an underrepresented group?
The National Housing Federation’s 2023 EDI survey showed that the following groups were underrepresented in leadership positions within the housing sector.
- Females: Only 47% of executives and 44% of board members are female compared to 54% of the workforce.
- Disability or long-term health condition: Only 9% of the sector’s workforce have a disability or long-term health condition compared to 24% of the population and 29% of residents.
- BAME: The ethnic diversity of the workforce is not reflected in executive positions. 10% of the workforce is Black/African/Caribbean/Black British but only 3% of executives. 5% of the workforce is Asian/Asian British but only 1% of executives.
If you identify as belonging to any of the above groups, you can apply for a free ticket to the Northern Housing Summit.
This opportunity is being run on a trust-based basis and there is no need to disclose any personal information. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
If you identify as part of an underrepresented group within the housing profession and are interested in joining us, please apply for your free ticket by Monday 18th November 2024. To apply please email Kristina.dawson@northern-consortium.org.uk
NHC joins housing minister for roundtable on reforms to social housing quality
The NHC was invited to discuss the Government’s proposed reforms to social housing quality with housing minister Matthew Pennycook MP.
NHC Executive Director, Patrick Murray, attended the roundtable and shared the views of our members on how the sector can work with government to ensure a successful implementation of Awaab’s Law and wider reforms to social housing quality. Patrick also discussed the importance of regeneration, with ageing stock a key issue for northern social landlords.
Patrick was joined by a range of our partners in the sector and the discussion was constructive, with a clear commitment to protecting social housing residents from serious hazards in homes while ensuring that landlords are realistically able to meet the new requirements.
Earlier this year, the NHC submitted a response to the Awaab’s Law consultation on timescales for repairs in the social housing sector. The Government has confirmed it will bring forward legislation for Awaab’s Law in the social rented sector this autumn.
Bursary boost for artist’s new business
Sarah’s story
As a disabled artist starting up my own business, accessibility is important.
I was struggling to meet client and contractual needs and having to do way harder work by fingerpainting and editing on my phone screen. This meant it took a lot longer and was a lot more difficult to create and edit images than necessary, but I worked with what I had at the time.
Northern Housing Consortium via Livin Futures offered a £500 bursary and I applied for a drawing tablet to make it easier to edit, modify and create work to the professional standard required.
I was so pleased when I was successful with being approved for the bursary as it is very important that disabled individuals have access to accessibility when it comes to doing the jobs we have built a trade in.
This tablet won’t just make it more accessible to create stickers and meet client specifications, but it also allows me, as a disabled artist to modify and create art with ease.
Having successfully achieved a contract with a stock image website, I found it exceptionally difficult to meet their requirements of the contract without the correct software.
I would like to say a huge thank you to Lisa Newham from Livin Futures and Northern Housing Consortium for helping my business visions come to fruition.
A cut above the rest
Livin Housing customer Kimberly Bell shares how an NHC Unlocking Success bursary has helped her get her hairdressing back up and running in the North East.
I would like to thank the Northern Housing Consortium for awarding me the £500 bursary which has been very useful in my ambition to once again become a self-employed hairdresser in the North East.
I recently relocated to the North East, due to personal circumstances. I had previously been a well-established self-employed hairdresser, where I had regular clients and income. I recently secured a part time role at a local bar, as I felt this would help me to meet new people, and try and attract potential customers to my hairdressing business.
Livin Housing listened to my circumstances and understood I was eager to get back into hairdressing and mentioned the NHC Bursary. This was an opportunity which I wanted to go ahead with, and I was extremely happy to hear that my application had been accepted.
When I received the £500, I ordered supplies to help me start back up. I have since been able to get new clients in my area and have started back up as a self-employed hairdresser.
Thank you once again to all those involved.
Making a positive contribution
Tom Miskell, Former Chair, Northern Housing Consortium
Tom Miskell has a wealth of experience in the housing sector having undertaken various roles during his career as a management consultant, working for the Housing Corporation, a local authority, housing associations and as a board member for a number of organisations.
Tom was appointed as Chair of the Northern Housing Consortium (NHC) board in 2015, remaining in the role until 2019.
Here, he shares his insights of what he’s learnt during his career, including some valuable advice for others working in the sector today.
Why did you choose to work in housing?
My career in housing actually came about in a roundabout way. I started my working life in finance in the civil service. However, a job as an accountant at the Housing Corporation was my first encounter with the world of social housing and, from there, I’ve had a variety of roles. These have included being an area manager at the Housing Corporation and I was then invited to complete a secondment at Derby Council as assistant director of housing. My experience has involved working on 30-plus stock transfers for local authorities across the North and the Midlands. I moved to Pennine Housing in 2000 as finance director, at the time there was a stock transfer from Calderdale Council, later becoming Chief Executive.
Since I finished full time work, I’ve carried on in non-exec roles including a further year as Chair of Northern Housing Consortium and becoming Chair of Accent Housing.
I always had an aspiration to help people and I found that housing was a way you could do that. One of my old bosses used to say, if we invest this money in housing stock and we haven’t changed the lives of people who live there, we’ve failed. And I absolutely endorse that. It’s an opportunity to make a positive contribution to people’s lives.
I’ve had some fantastic experiences during my career. It’s been a privilege as well as a wonderful learning curve.
What have been the biggest challenges in housing in the North over the last 50 years?
Right to buy had a massive impact, as the stock wasn’t replaced and, of those properties that have been sold, many have fallen into the hands of private landlords and ended up in bad states of repair.
And demand in different areas is a challenge because we don’t have the right stock in the right place at the right time.
And what’s had a positive impact?
One transformational thing has been the housing stock transfer programme, creating housing associations from local authority stock. This brought investment in decent homes and it’s also been an opportunity to create jobs and change lives within communities.
For example, Wakefield and District Housing have taken time to develop and grow their existing workforce over the years through a range of training programmes that have delivered life changing opportunities for people.
What role does Northern Housing Consortium play in supporting housing in the North?
NHC is uniquely placed because it’s the only organisation that has the common membership between local authorities and housing associations. So it can speak holistically and look across the sector, making the case for the whole of housing in the North.
A really nice thing about NHC is its collaboration. Something I’ve seen change over the years is that, where people used to be competitive, now we see people working together, and I think NHC has played a key role in fostering this collaboration on projects that will ultimately benefit people in the North.
NHC has also been able to play the role of influencer with Government and I’ve seen that massively improve in terms of our voice being heard and amplified through the organisation’s round tables and visits from ministers and senior civil servants. It’s been a real positive shift and that momentum is continuing now, as new people join the board.
Can you share some highlights from your time as chair of NHC?
Firstly, it was a real privilege to be Chair and to work with such great people.
During that time, NHC established the Commission for Housing in the North which I had the honour of chairing and involved working with people like Lord Best and Lord Bob Kerslake. It was a real opportunity to look at what positive change we could make and it’s great to see some of the issues we picked up on, like local authorities not having sufficient resource for planning, now being addressed by the Government. The commission was an opportunity to think positively and see a way forward.
An on a personal level, after I finished full time work, I was asked to stay on as Chair of NHC for another year. There can be self-doubt when you finish full time work but on a personal level, continuing to be involved was reinvigorating.
Do you have any advice for others who are working in housing, or perhaps starting out in their career?
I’ve been really lucky to be involved with lots of different organisations and I’d encourage anybody to take any opportunity to get that visibility of how others are working. You can really shape your own learning and service delivery by being willing to look outwards, and learn from others whether that’s through a secondment, short term roles or collaborating on a project.
