Jules Birch
@julesbirch.bsky.social
Journalist interested in anything connected with housing. Which means just about everything. Doctorate in housing since the financial crisis
No mention of Local Housing Allowance that I can find in Budget documents (so assume freeze in rates will continue) or of benefit cap (assume will continue at current rate). Both would blunt some of the impact on child poverty of scrapping two-child limit
November 26, 2025 at 2:38 PM
No mention of Local Housing Allowance that I can find in Budget documents (so assume freeze in rates will continue) or of benefit cap (assume will continue at current rate). Both would blunt some of the impact on child poverty of scrapping two-child limit
Consultation coming up on VAT treatment of land intended for social housing to 'incentivise' development
November 26, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Consultation coming up on VAT treatment of land intended for social housing to 'incentivise' development
Detail awaited but this should help tackle the working Catch 22 for people living in supported and temporary accommodation
November 26, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Detail awaited but this should help tackle the working Catch 22 for people living in supported and temporary accommodation
Budget defers key decision on rent convergence in social housing until January
November 26, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Budget defers key decision on rent convergence in social housing until January
Budget red book: 'The government is committed to delivering 1.5m homes *in England* in this parliament'
OBR report: Net additions to *the UK* housing stock expected to be 1.49 million between 2024/25 and 2029/30
OBR report: Net additions to *the UK* housing stock expected to be 1.49 million between 2024/25 and 2029/30
November 26, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Budget red book: 'The government is committed to delivering 1.5m homes *in England* in this parliament'
OBR report: Net additions to *the UK* housing stock expected to be 1.49 million between 2024/25 and 2029/30
OBR report: Net additions to *the UK* housing stock expected to be 1.49 million between 2024/25 and 2029/30
Budget may have been published in advance but try accessing the policy costings and this happens
November 26, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Budget may have been published in advance but try accessing the policy costings and this happens
Reposted by Jules Birch
Reeves has just confirmed that she is scrapping the plans for huge increases in landfill tax - which could have added £25k to the cost of building a house. This is very good news for the housing sector.
November 26, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Reeves has just confirmed that she is scrapping the plans for huge increases in landfill tax - which could have added £25k to the cost of building a house. This is very good news for the housing sector.
Reposted by Jules Birch
🎉Child poverty is at a record high, so the decision to end the two child limit is crucial
Poverty holds children back, with consequences for all of us. Every child should have a good start in life
This measure alone lifts 450,000 out of poverty & lessens severity for many more
Poverty holds children back, with consequences for all of us. Every child should have a good start in life
This measure alone lifts 450,000 out of poverty & lessens severity for many more
November 26, 2025 at 1:32 PM
🎉Child poverty is at a record high, so the decision to end the two child limit is crucial
Poverty holds children back, with consequences for all of us. Every child should have a good start in life
This measure alone lifts 450,000 out of poverty & lessens severity for many more
Poverty holds children back, with consequences for all of us. Every child should have a good start in life
This measure alone lifts 450,000 out of poverty & lessens severity for many more
OBR thinks higher rates of property income tax on landlords will raise more (£500m a year from 2028/29) than high value council tax surcharge (£400m a year)
November 26, 2025 at 1:20 PM
OBR thinks higher rates of property income tax on landlords will raise more (£500m a year from 2028/29) than high value council tax surcharge (£400m a year)
High value council tax surcharge is triggering a few memories. Less than ten years since the govt was trying to do in many ways the opposite (higher rents for higher-earning council tenants, forced sales of higher-value council homes)
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
High value council tax surcharge is triggering a few memories. Less than ten years since the govt was trying to do in many ways the opposite (higher rents for higher-earning council tenants, forced sales of higher-value council homes)
Well this is certainly a non-traditional Budget day.... should been paying attention earlier
November 26, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Well this is certainly a non-traditional Budget day.... should been paying attention earlier
Reposted by Jules Birch
These reports the Government could revalue council tax bands F, G and H don't make sense to me. Here's what could actually be going on:
November 25, 2025 at 9:31 AM
These reports the Government could revalue council tax bands F, G and H don't make sense to me. Here's what could actually be going on:
Reposted by Jules Birch
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Looks like the least risky tax reform politically, raises a bit of money (more over time if threshold frozen) and makes council tax marginally fairer... but does nothing for local govt funding crisis and little to improve the housing system
www.ft.com/content/5b07...
www.ft.com/content/5b07...
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
www.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Looks like the least risky tax reform politically, raises a bit of money (more over time if threshold frozen) and makes council tax marginally fairer... but does nothing for local govt funding crisis and little to improve the housing system
www.ft.com/content/5b07...
www.ft.com/content/5b07...
Has anyone ever written a more optimistic song? RIP Jimmy Cliff
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try
Try and try, you'll succeed at last
Play with clip of Eberechi Eze's hat-trick
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try
Try and try, you'll succeed at last
Play with clip of Eberechi Eze's hat-trick
November 24, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Has anyone ever written a more optimistic song? RIP Jimmy Cliff
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try
Try and try, you'll succeed at last
Play with clip of Eberechi Eze's hat-trick
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
You can get it if you really want
But you must try, try and try
Try and try, you'll succeed at last
Play with clip of Eberechi Eze's hat-trick
Scrapping the two-child limit *is* welfare reform. Defining ‘reform’ solely as ‘cut’ is one reason why it’s proved so difficult
November 23, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Scrapping the two-child limit *is* welfare reform. Defining ‘reform’ solely as ‘cut’ is one reason why it’s proved so difficult
This is an interesting listen - if you can get past sponsorship by Philip Morris boasting about its ‘smoke-free’ credentials and who owns the platform it’s on
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Should Labour sack Starmer & will Reeves bankrupt Britain?
Podcast Episode · The Econoclasts · 19/11/2025 · 40m
podcasts.apple.com
November 23, 2025 at 11:13 AM
This is an interesting listen - if you can get past sponsorship by Philip Morris boasting about its ‘smoke-free’ credentials and who owns the platform it’s on
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
Woke up this morning and Australia were 0-2, then realised 🤦♂️
November 22, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Woke up this morning and Australia were 0-2, then realised 🤦♂️
A million low-income households have lost an average of £1,500 each because of Local Housing Allowance Freeze, says new analysis by @theifs.bsky.social
ifs.org.uk/articles/fre...
ifs.org.uk/articles/fre...
Freezes in housing support once again widen geographic disparities for low-income renters | Institute for Fiscal Studies
Freezes to local housing allowances reduce the disposable incomes of low-income private renters. LHA rates should be regularly and locally uprated.
ifs.org.uk
November 21, 2025 at 8:41 AM
A million low-income households have lost an average of £1,500 each because of Local Housing Allowance Freeze, says new analysis by @theifs.bsky.social
ifs.org.uk/articles/fre...
ifs.org.uk/articles/fre...
Net additions to the housing stock - the basis of the govt's target of 1.5m new homes in England in this parliament or 300,000 a year - fell to 208,600 in 2024/25. Estimate for Labour's first 16 months is 275,600
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England: 2024 to 2025
www.gov.uk
November 20, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Net additions to the housing stock - the basis of the govt's target of 1.5m new homes in England in this parliament or 300,000 a year - fell to 208,600 in 2024/25. Estimate for Labour's first 16 months is 275,600
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Great that there is a Labour lobbying group in favour of more homes. Not so great that it feels it has to take donations from developers
on.ft.com/4pbs02K
on.ft.com/4pbs02K
‘Build, baby, build’: the pro-development Labour activists — and their backers in big business
on.ft.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Great that there is a Labour lobbying group in favour of more homes. Not so great that it feels it has to take donations from developers
on.ft.com/4pbs02K
on.ft.com/4pbs02K
Timely - and plaintive? - message from Public Service Ombudsman for Wales when you arrive at its website
November 18, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Timely - and plaintive? - message from Public Service Ombudsman for Wales when you arrive at its website
Another round of planning reforms includes default 'yes' for homes near stations, possible intervention where councils would turn down 150-plus home schemes and 40% cut to number of schemes considered by statutory consultees
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Housebuilding around train stations will be given default “yes”
Housebuilding near well-connected train stations will receive a default “yes” in future if they meet certain rules, ensuring more homes are built
www.gov.uk
November 18, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Another round of planning reforms includes default 'yes' for homes near stations, possible intervention where councils would turn down 150-plus home schemes and 40% cut to number of schemes considered by statutory consultees
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
