National context
It is important to acknowledge the national and local (including regional) context when developing this strategy.
The strategy has been developed at a time when there has been some flux with regard to future housing legislation and legislation that relates and affects housing. For instance, the 2024 General Election timing has meant that some policies that would affect the housing sector at a local and national level, such as the Renters (Reform) Bill and amendments to leasehold arrangements have not progressed or been delivered as may have been anticipated.
There is an established narrative nationally that the Country faces significant housing pressures and challenges. This is caused by a lack of supply and, in turn, rising housing costs across tenures. National government has been attempted to tackle these issues through legislation, new or planned, regarding reducing homelessness, boosting housing supply, making home ownership more accessible, reducing carbon emissions in both new and existing homes and improving the services received by tenants from their landlords.
The housing pressures and challenges that are faced nationally are as follows.
Lack of adequate supply of housing
Supplying enough housing to meet the demands of a growing and ageing population has been a challenge that successive governments have faced for many years. Supply targets have been made and not met and balancing the competing or contradictory needs of different stakeholders and those with a local interest are challenging.
There have been a number of proposed changes during the lifespan of the previous housing strategy, such as the Planning for the Future White Paper, which have culminated in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023. This aimed to “speed up the planning system, hold developers to account, cut bureaucracy, and encourage more Councils to put in place plans to enable the building of new homes” (Gov.uk press release, ‘Levelling up and Regeneration Bill becomes law’).
Within these strategies, the government has committed to building 300,000 new homes per year. This commitment has not been met.
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 committed to “deliver more homes in for communities across the Country and unleash levelling up in left behind places” (Michael Gove, Former Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 2023)
Measures included boosting services and infrastructure on new developments, more powers to Councils for tackling empty homes and compulsory purchasing, more powers for Councils to tackle empty retail units, speeding up housing delivery on developments once started and allowing local people greater powers to influence local development.
In 2024, following the General Election and a change in government, there was a manifesto pledge to increase house building over the course of the Parliament and a reintroduction of housing targets. To enable this, the new government has made changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), (December 2024) Changes to the NPPF include
- Reintroduction of mandatory housing targets
- Restoration of 5 year housing land supply rules
- Standardising the method for assessing housing needs locally
- Implement a standard calculation that uses housing stock to set a baseline figure with a view to directing housing where it is most needed
- Increase the affordability adjustment threshold
- Change the definition and approaches to development on brownfield and green belt development. Including certain previously developed land in the green belt (grey belt)
- Changes to affordable housing requirements
- Greater accountability around build out rates on housing sites
The new NPPF includes transitional arrangements for local plans that are at advanced stages of their development.
In announcing the changes, the government advised that “new flexibilities for councils will boost the number of social and affordable homes, and give working families a better route to a secure home” (Angela Rayner MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government 2024).
Additional measures announced by the government related to supply of affordable housing include a proposal for a new taskforce to deliver new towns, creating new largescale communities of at least 10,000 new homes in each, governed by a “New Towns Code”.
Whilst general supply into the housing system is an issue, the supply of affordable housing is also an issue for those who are first time buyers or for those on low incomes seeking affordable housing options.
The Local Authority Housing Fund has brought about the potential for more properties to be brought into the affordable housing estate across the Country, with a combination of Councils directly, or Councils in partnership with Registered Providers, developing new, refurbishing existing or purchasing additional units with government grants. This has been successful in boosting delivery quickly, but in small numbers compared to need, and is targeted at the cohorts that have been part of national resettlement schemes.
Tackling homelessness and rough sleeping
Homelessness is a rising national issue. The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 provided the most significant change in service provision in a generation. It introduced new duties regarding the prevention of homelessness, to extend timescales that local authorities would be offering and providing support.
During COVID 19, the “Everyone In” initiative provided a drive to house rough sleepers, who were a group that were seen as particularly vulnerable. On the back of this initiative, new funding and accommodation programmes, such as NSAP, RSAP and SHAP have supplemented services provided through the Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI) funding, to provide additional support to those rough sleeping.
This has been accompanied by additional commitments such as those within the ‘Ending Rough Sleeping for Good’ policy paper in 2022, which built on the manifesto commitment of the then government to end rough sleeping by 2024.
The rough sleeping snapshot nationally shows a national increase of 27% between 2022 and 2023 in rough sleeping numbers, to 3898. As these are based on known rough sleepers, the actual number is likely to be higher. There has also been an increase in people who are homeless, a rise in 14% in the same period, meaning 309,000 or 1 in 182 people are homeless in England. (source, Shelter and Crisis).
Homelessness and rough sleeping, combined with the lack of supply, has a knock-on effect on people in temporary accommodation and how long they spend within it. Government figures advise that 47% of families that are homeless and in temporary accommodation have been there for 2 years or longer. The impact locally on Cherwell is outlined in the Local Context section.
Improving housing standards and the rights of tenants
Registered Providers of Social Housing have faced sharp focus over recent years with high profile failures associated with their services that contributed to tragic events, such as the Grenfell Tower Fire and the death of Awaab Ishak in Rochdale, linked to damp and mould within his property.
The Social Housing (Regulation) Act gives the Regulator stronger powers to act on underperforming social landlords. Unlimited fines can be levied against the worst performers and where improvements are not being made. There is a new inspection regime combined with new transparency measures for tenants to scrutinise their landlords. Particularly through the published performance and Tenant Satisfaction Measures, the way in which complaints are handled and the new tenant rights around access to their data and information. The Act also reaffirms the importance of compliance and safety within Social Housing stock and the appointment of Health and Safety lead officers.
An associated impact of the Grenfell Tower Fire has been the difficulties faced by leaseholders, particularly relating to the costs associated with remedying building safety issues associated with fire spread, particularly usage of combustible building materials. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 makes it easier for leaseholders to purchase freeholds or extend leaseholds, provides greater transparency over service charges and providing greater control and improving leaseholders rights and access to redress. Further leasehold legislation is part of the 2024 Labour government’s programme.
The Renters (Reform) Bill following the fairer private sector white paper had the headline of removing Section 21 “no fault” evictions, tackle blanket bans that tenants can face whom are in receipt of benefits and provide greater sector transparency through a new decent homes standard in the private sector and a new ombudsman. The Renters (Reform) Bill received widespread support during its publication but failed to pass through Parliament before the General Election of 2024. The new government is bringing forward new legislation of its own, with similar themes, called the Renters’ Rights Bill.
Reducing housing’s carbon footprint
The need to achieve “Net Zero” in the UK for all sectors of the economy is outlined within the ‘Net Zero – Build Back Greener’ policy paper. This outlines policy approach to achieve Net Zero by 2050. Homes, both new and existing, account for 20% of emissions (Future Homes Standard 2019 consultation).
The Future Homes Standard 2019 committed to a new standard for new build properties by 2025. Specifically, a planned change in Building Regulations to increase energy efficiency and low carbon heating. The goal of the standard is that the average new home would have 75-80% less carbon emissions than one built to current energy efficiency requirements. This is achieved by installing heat pumps, triple glazing and wall, floor and roof construction that significantly limits heat loss.
In addition to new homes, the government has pledged £3.8 billion over a 10 year period to improve energy performance of social rented homes through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund from 2021. The Heat and Buildings Strategy 2021 sets out the government’s plans to cut carbon emissions from the UK’s 30 million homes and workplaces, including the phasing out fossil fuel heating systems and the investment of roll out of heat pumps.