Anna Clarke
@annaclarke.bsky.social
Policy and Public Affairs at The Housing Forum. Interested in UK housing policy, planning, economics, housebuilding, energy, social policy. Views are my own. Cambridge based. https://housingforum.org.uk/
Have seen lots of criticism but:
- Expensive homes currently pay the least council tax, relative to value. This fixes that.
- No cliff edges if it's only on the value above £2m.
- Doesn't raise very much yet, but would do so in time if the £2m cap is frozen.
- Expensive homes currently pay the least council tax, relative to value. This fixes that.
- No cliff edges if it's only on the value above £2m.
- Doesn't raise very much yet, but would do so in time if the £2m cap is frozen.
Homes worth more than £2mn set to be hit by Budget raid on.ft.com/4rocFhe
Homes worth more than £2mn set to be hit by Budget raid
‘Mansion tax’ set to affect more than 100,000 properties, mostly in London and the south-east
on.ft.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Have seen lots of criticism but:
- Expensive homes currently pay the least council tax, relative to value. This fixes that.
- No cliff edges if it's only on the value above £2m.
- Doesn't raise very much yet, but would do so in time if the £2m cap is frozen.
- Expensive homes currently pay the least council tax, relative to value. This fixes that.
- No cliff edges if it's only on the value above £2m.
- Doesn't raise very much yet, but would do so in time if the £2m cap is frozen.
This is really important research - roll out of heat pumps and the Future Home Standard in new homes is currently held up by concerns from electricity suppliers that all-electric homes will draw too much power.
If we've been over cautious about that, we should update our calculations.
If we've been over cautious about that, we should update our calculations.
NEW from me: A recent study finds that fully electrified homes in Handsworth, built to adhere to a draft version of the Future Homes standard, put less pressure on the grid than researchers expected.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Heat-pump homes put less strain on grid than expected, study shows
Analysis of new-builds in Birmingham suggests all-electric homes not only use less energy but vary in peak usage
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:07 AM
This is really important research - roll out of heat pumps and the Future Home Standard in new homes is currently held up by concerns from electricity suppliers that all-electric homes will draw too much power.
If we've been over cautious about that, we should update our calculations.
If we've been over cautious about that, we should update our calculations.
Detail here on today's planning reforms:
1) Default permission for new homes "within reasonable walking distance" of train station, even on greenbelt
2) Government intervention if councils plan to refuse large sites
3) Review of statutory consultees
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
1) Default permission for new homes "within reasonable walking distance" of train station, even on greenbelt
2) Government intervention if councils plan to refuse large sites
3) Review of statutory consultees
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.
questions-statements.parliament.uk
November 18, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Detail here on today's planning reforms:
1) Default permission for new homes "within reasonable walking distance" of train station, even on greenbelt
2) Government intervention if councils plan to refuse large sites
3) Review of statutory consultees
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
1) Default permission for new homes "within reasonable walking distance" of train station, even on greenbelt
2) Government intervention if councils plan to refuse large sites
3) Review of statutory consultees
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...
Reposted by Anna Clarke
Government is planning changes to the planning system to streamline it:
- Removing Sports England, The Gardens Trust & Theatres Trust as statutory consultees
- Reducing the scope of statutory consultees
- Measures to ensure they don't hold up planning applications.
www.gov.uk/government/c...
- Removing Sports England, The Gardens Trust & Theatres Trust as statutory consultees
- Reducing the scope of statutory consultees
- Measures to ensure they don't hold up planning applications.
www.gov.uk/government/c...
Reforms to the statutory consultee system
We are seeking views on reforming the role of statutory consultees in the planning system in England.
www.gov.uk
November 18, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Government is planning changes to the planning system to streamline it:
- Removing Sports England, The Gardens Trust & Theatres Trust as statutory consultees
- Reducing the scope of statutory consultees
- Measures to ensure they don't hold up planning applications.
www.gov.uk/government/c...
- Removing Sports England, The Gardens Trust & Theatres Trust as statutory consultees
- Reducing the scope of statutory consultees
- Measures to ensure they don't hold up planning applications.
www.gov.uk/government/c...
This is particularly good news for people living in flats. Air to air heat pumps are particularly good for small properties, or if damp and mould is an issue. They can provide cooling too, which will help with overheating in flats.
Heat pumps news! DESNZ is expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to cover air to air heat pumps and heat batteries.
Both will be eligible for a £2,500 grant if it fully replaces a gas or oil boiler…
www.businessgreen.com/news/4521952...
Both will be eligible for a £2,500 grant if it fully replaces a gas or oil boiler…
www.businessgreen.com/news/4521952...
Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Government set to expand scheme to include air conditioning heat pumps
Government expands heat pump scheme to include heat batteries and 'air-to-air devices' that can cool homes in summer, despite speculation over budget cuts
www.businessgreen.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:51 AM
This is particularly good news for people living in flats. Air to air heat pumps are particularly good for small properties, or if damp and mould is an issue. They can provide cooling too, which will help with overheating in flats.
Is the Telegraph economically illiterate? If you put a hefty charge onto higher value properties their price would go down, not up! www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
Access Restricted
www.telegraph.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Is the Telegraph economically illiterate? If you put a hefty charge onto higher value properties their price would go down, not up! www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
New planning reforms confirmed that allow Government to intervene if a large housing development would be otherwise refused by the local planning committee. www.thetimes.com/article/c471...
Councils to lose power to block large housing developments
The housing secretary will take the ability to veto local objections and speed up planning delays, but councils see it as an attack on local democracy
www.thetimes.com
November 17, 2025 at 9:37 AM
New planning reforms confirmed that allow Government to intervene if a large housing development would be otherwise refused by the local planning committee. www.thetimes.com/article/c471...
Renters’ Rights Act to come into effect from May - ending S21 evictions.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Renters’ Rights Act: No-fault evictions banned from May 2026
The government confirms timeline for reforms to England’s rental market, including ending bidding wars.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Renters’ Rights Act to come into effect from May - ending S21 evictions.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Couldn't agree more with Crisis here that "the solution to homelessness is housing". But acquiring housing that already exists doesn't create more homes. It just changes the landlord.
November 10, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Couldn't agree more with Crisis here that "the solution to homelessness is housing". But acquiring housing that already exists doesn't create more homes. It just changes the landlord.
Reposted by Anna Clarke
The GLA allocates is own share of the grant for London. And announced today, six northern mayors will also £7bn between them to allocate. (Greater Manchester, West Midlands, North East, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and South Yorkshire)
November 7, 2025 at 9:26 AM
The GLA allocates is own share of the grant for London. And announced today, six northern mayors will also £7bn between them to allocate. (Greater Manchester, West Midlands, North East, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and South Yorkshire)
Reposted by Anna Clarke
UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for new house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data & the latest data from the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) covers September 2025. (1/n)
#ukhousing #ukconstruction
#ukhousing #ukconstruction
November 5, 2025 at 9:41 AM
UK brick deliveries are a useful proxy for new house building starts in the absence of monthly house building starts data & the latest data from the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) covers September 2025. (1/n)
#ukhousing #ukconstruction
#ukhousing #ukconstruction
What are people's thoughts on this paper setting out a case for government grant on hybrid heat pumps? They're saying the heat pump can do 94% of the heat, but the gas backup helps in very cold weather.
www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/img/PR/hybri...
The figures here look quite compelling:
www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/img/PR/hybri...
The figures here look quite compelling:
November 5, 2025 at 11:42 AM
What are people's thoughts on this paper setting out a case for government grant on hybrid heat pumps? They're saying the heat pump can do 94% of the heat, but the gas backup helps in very cold weather.
www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/img/PR/hybri...
The figures here look quite compelling:
www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/img/PR/hybri...
The figures here look quite compelling:
Reposted by Anna Clarke
Niche blog post #1: what stamp duty statistics say about how many home purchases are for "additional" dwellings rather than primary homes jamesjgleeson.wordpress.com/2025/10/19/a...
Additional property purchases and ‘surplus’ housing
The Green Alliance recently hosted a webinar on whether it’s possible to build to build 1.5 million homes (the UK government target for this parliament) without accelerating the climate crisi…
jamesjgleeson.wordpress.com
October 31, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Niche blog post #1: what stamp duty statistics say about how many home purchases are for "additional" dwellings rather than primary homes jamesjgleeson.wordpress.com/2025/10/19/a...
The Government's Carbon Budget Delivery Plan was published yesterday. Confirms for the first time that the Future Homes Standard has been delayed - it was initially due to start in 2025, but still isn't published, and seems rollout is now from 2027. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6901d0...
October 30, 2025 at 9:48 AM
The Government's Carbon Budget Delivery Plan was published yesterday. Confirms for the first time that the Future Homes Standard has been delayed - it was initially due to start in 2025, but still isn't published, and seems rollout is now from 2027. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6901d0...
British people welcomed Ukrainians into their homes, just 3 years ago.
October 28, 2025 at 10:25 PM
British people welcomed Ukrainians into their homes, just 3 years ago.
Reposted by Anna Clarke
So the Renters Rights Bill has finally passed. S21 evictions will soon be no more. A few reflections on the long road to get to this point 🧵
October 22, 2025 at 6:16 PM
So the Renters Rights Bill has finally passed. S21 evictions will soon be no more. A few reflections on the long road to get to this point 🧵
Fascinating chart here - that runs very much counter to the rhetoric we keep hearing about tax being too high - we actually tax the average earner quite a lot less than most comparable countries, in the UK.
In 2024, the UK had the lowest taxes on an average employee of any G7 country.
UK taxes for lower earners were also the lowest in the G7.
But the UK's position might change in 2025.
Read more 👉 buff.ly/4ppe7Q8
UK taxes for lower earners were also the lowest in the G7.
But the UK's position might change in 2025.
Read more 👉 buff.ly/4ppe7Q8
October 27, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Fascinating chart here - that runs very much counter to the rhetoric we keep hearing about tax being too high - we actually tax the average earner quite a lot less than most comparable countries, in the UK.
Steve Reed on Radio 4 this morning is proposing that modular housing can be built on former military bases as an alternative to housing asylum seekers in hotels.
Modular homes are built off-site in factories so can indeed be built quite quickly if you drive them through planning.
Modular homes are built off-site in factories so can indeed be built quite quickly if you drive them through planning.
October 27, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Steve Reed on Radio 4 this morning is proposing that modular housing can be built on former military bases as an alternative to housing asylum seekers in hotels.
Modular homes are built off-site in factories so can indeed be built quite quickly if you drive them through planning.
Modular homes are built off-site in factories so can indeed be built quite quickly if you drive them through planning.
The problem with buying back properties to fix "the social housing crisis" is that it isn't *just* a social housing crisis.
You're taking away useful first time buyer homes to make social homes, so it's a bit of a zero sum game. Really need to build more homes.
You're taking away useful first time buyer homes to make social homes, so it's a bit of a zero sum game. Really need to build more homes.
“Right to buy in reverse: how Brighton is tackling its social housing crisis
The council is rolling back Thatcher’s flagship policy by buying stock from private landlords.”
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
The council is rolling back Thatcher’s flagship policy by buying stock from private landlords.”
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Right to buy in reverse: how Brighton is tackling its social housing crisis | Richard Partington
The council is rolling back Thatcher’s flagship policy by buying stock from private landlords. Other local authorities should take note
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 8:06 AM
The problem with buying back properties to fix "the social housing crisis" is that it isn't *just* a social housing crisis.
You're taking away useful first time buyer homes to make social homes, so it's a bit of a zero sum game. Really need to build more homes.
You're taking away useful first time buyer homes to make social homes, so it's a bit of a zero sum game. Really need to build more homes.
Not sure I agree with this - changes to property taxation need to be thought through, but his suggestion of publicly announcing a 12 month review into it would likely grind the housing market to a halt while everyone waits to see what will happen. www.thetimes.com/article/e895...
Mansion tax idea is incoherent, ex-Bank governor tells Reeves
Lord King says ‘fag-packet’ tax proposals before the budget do not address long-term economic problems
www.thetimes.com
October 27, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Not sure I agree with this - changes to property taxation need to be thought through, but his suggestion of publicly announcing a 12 month review into it would likely grind the housing market to a halt while everyone waits to see what will happen. www.thetimes.com/article/e895...
That would require him to be in parliament to ask it wouldn't it?
It turns out Farage hasn't put his name forward to ask a question for months
Nigel Farage’s ‘PMQs strike’ ridiculed as records show he hasn’t asked for extra question in months
It turns out Farage hasn't put his name forward to ask a question for months
leftfootforward.org
October 24, 2025 at 11:32 AM
That would require him to be in parliament to ask it wouldn't it?
Reposted by Anna Clarke
The other big takeaway from Caerphilly is that despite a brief resuscitation in 2017 the two party system is well and truly over for the UK. And that means either we bite the bullet on PR or the parties are all going to have to make deals to not split the left or right vote
October 24, 2025 at 8:05 AM
The other big takeaway from Caerphilly is that despite a brief resuscitation in 2017 the two party system is well and truly over for the UK. And that means either we bite the bullet on PR or the parties are all going to have to make deals to not split the left or right vote
Quite a range of measures here to try to get housebuilding going again in London.
The government have just published this "package of support for housebuilding in the Capital."
October 23, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Quite a range of measures here to try to get housebuilding going again in London.
So the Renters Rights Bill has finally passed. S21 evictions will soon be no more. A few reflections on the long road to get to this point 🧵
October 22, 2025 at 6:16 PM
So the Renters Rights Bill has finally passed. S21 evictions will soon be no more. A few reflections on the long road to get to this point 🧵
Reposted by Anna Clarke
Rents have increased by a fifth in recent years since Local Housing Housing allowance was frozen, up £210 a month!!
The strain of this freeze on private renters is immense; in April around 40% of private renters in receipt of LHA said they didn't have enough to cover rent.
The strain of this freeze on private renters is immense; in April around 40% of private renters in receipt of LHA said they didn't have enough to cover rent.
October 22, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Rents have increased by a fifth in recent years since Local Housing Housing allowance was frozen, up £210 a month!!
The strain of this freeze on private renters is immense; in April around 40% of private renters in receipt of LHA said they didn't have enough to cover rent.
The strain of this freeze on private renters is immense; in April around 40% of private renters in receipt of LHA said they didn't have enough to cover rent.