Yesterday, the government announced that English councils undergoing reorganisation have been invited to give views on postponing their local elections next May. This follows multiple councils approaching the department and requesting delays, noting that upcoming elections could undermine their plans for reorganisation. The government is acting now so councils can provide views before final decisions are taken. Legislation will be needed to delay elections, in line with usual Parliamentary process. No decision on delays has been made but 63 English councils have until midnight on 15 January 2026 to feedback to the department. The Secretary of State will then make a decision early next year. Our starting point is that all elections will go ahead, but we will consider all views provided before taking the final decision early next year. If councils decide they don’t want to postpone, we will listen. This is a locally led approach about councils and their capacity, and we recognise that individual councils are in the best position to judge this. If it is decided that elections will be postponed, legislation will be brought forward in the usual way. We will set out transparently to Parliament what councils told us and the basis for any decisions. Where elections are postponed, we will continue to work with councils to hold elections as soon as possible to the new local councils. We expect these elections to be in May 2027 and they would replace scheduled elections. The new councils will go live in April 2028. Surrey is on an accelerated timetable so elections to the new councils in May 2026 will replace the scheduled elections there, subject to Parliament. See here for the full story.

Yesterday, we launched a major consultation on a revamped National Planning Policy Framework – the most significant rewrite of planning rules in over a decade – to accelerate the delivery of 1.5 million homes this Parliament. The reforms will unlock new jobs, infrastructure, and clean energy, while turning the ambition of homeownership into a reality for more working people. There has been widespread national coverage of the announcements, including on page 1 of the **Times****,** and in the **Telegraph** which led with reforms that every new build home will be fitted with special bricks to protect the endangered swift birds. Elsewhere, **The Financial Times****,** the**I paper**and **Daily Mail** focus on the newrules that councils to allow more housing development in urban areas, including around railway stations and building upwards in towns and cities. This will drive urban and suburban densification that is expected to unlock a potential 1.8 million homes in the coming years and decades. The **BBC****,** the **Times View** and the **Guardian** also cover the changes to Biodiversity Net Gain, which will exempt developments under 0.2 hectares from the rules helping reduce costs for SME developers working on the smallest sites while maintaining nature recovery at scale. **Farmers Weekly** reports separately about easing planning rules for farmers and rural firms to grow their businesses, with measures requiring local authorities to give preferential treatment to new developments that directly support rural areas and domestic food production. There has been wider pick up on the announcement across trade media, including **Inside Housing** , **Property Week** , **Housing Today** and**Architects’ Journal**. An op-ed from the Housing Secretary was also featured on **LBC online** , which set out how the government is fixing the fundamentals and rewriting planning rules to cut the costs, delays and paperwork that have frustrated builders for years. This will put homeownership back into the hands of hardworking people and families. **Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:  ** _“Right now we see a planning system that still isn’t working well enough. A system saying ‘no’ more often than it says ‘yes’ and that favours obstructing instead of building._ _It has real-world consequences for those aspiring to own a home of their own and those hoping to escape so-called temporary accommodation – we owe it to the people of this country to do everything within our power to build the homes they deserve._ _We’ve already laid the groundwork to get Britain building but our planning overhaul was only the first step to fix the housing crisis we face. And today I’m going further than ever before to hit 1.5 million homes and place the key to homeownership into the hands of thousands more hardworking people and families.”_ **Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook in the House of Commons yesterday said:  ** _“England remains in the grip of a housing crisis that is both acute and entrenched…_ _…a generation locked out of homeownership; 1.3 million people languishing on social housing waiting lists; millions of low-income households forced into unaffordable private rented housing; and more than 170,000 homeless children living in temporary accommodation…_ _…That is why we committed ourselves, unashamedly, to an incredibly stretching housebuilding target of 1.5 million new safe and decent homes in this Parliament. And it is why we acted quickly and boldly to put in place the foundations of a revamped planning system that will facilitate the delivery of high and sustainable rates of housebuilding in the years ahead.”_ * * * **Reaction from the Industry** **Planning Director at the Home Builders Federation, Catherine Williams said:** “The draft NPPF reinforces Government’s commitment to reforming the planning system and removing barriers to homebuilding, retaining a clear focus on sustainable development while protecting the natural environment. Proposals to reduce the complexity should help to  reduce delays, speeding up the time it takes to get permissioned sites to the point when homes can be built and giving some much-needed encouragement to a dwindling number of local SME home builders. This progressive approach is urgently required if the industry is going to reverse the trend of recent years that has seen a decline in the number of homes being consented.” **Chair of Berkeley Group, Rob Perrins said:** “Our country’s housing supply is constrained by the layers of overlapping policies and regulations which make it impossibly slow, complex and expensive to build homes.  We commend these positive reforms which, once adopted, will help to rationalise this dysfunctional system and create a more consistent and certain process that actually delivers the high-quality private and affordable homes people need at real scale and pace.” **Chief Executive of Urban &Civic, Nigel Hugill said:** “All experience is that establishing clear presumptions has a material impact on both the direction and the operation of our planning system.  We welcome these proposals as addressing the treacle in the existing system which unnecessarily slows down decision making and delivering for our communities.” **Chief Executive and Executive Chair at Vistry, Greg Fitzgerald said:** “This is further evidence of this government’s welcome continued commitment to modernising and streamlining the planning system. At a time when families are stuck in temporary accommodation and young people are locked out of homeownership, delivering thousands of good quality homes in every region is essential to fixing the housing crisis for good. The new National Decision Making Policies and refreshed National Planning Policy Framework will protect quality and encourage delivery at pace. Importantly the changes will provide the clarity needed to take bold decisions, support environmentally responsible new homes and enhance local services.  We now need local councils to respond swiftly and grant the permissions required to unlock sustainable and thriving communities.”

There has been widespread media coverage of the launch of an independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics. The review was launched in the House of Commons yesterday by the Housing Secretary Steve Reed, and will be led by former DExEU Permanent Secretary Philip Rycroft. The review, which builds on the major reforms announced in the Elections Strategy in July, is a response to the evolving threat posed by political interference to British democracy. Rycroft’s report will be submitted to the Housing Secretary and to the Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, by the end of March. **The Telegraph** , **The Times **and**The Guardian** all reported on the Secretary of State’s statement in the house, with reporting referencing the case of Nathan Gill as one of the reasons for government action. **The Financial Times** notes that the forthcoming Elections Bill will also set out protections against foreign interference. There was additional reporting in the **Daily Mirror** , **Independent** , **Sun, Guardian, I News, and the Daily Mail.** Immediately following the statement, there was also breaking news reporting of the review across online outlets, including **BBC, Sky News,** **PA** , **Huffington Post** and **Reuters** amongst others. The review will provide an in-depth assessment of the current financial rules and safeguards and offer recommendations to further mitigate risks from foreign political interference. **Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:** “Following discussions with ministerial colleagues, I have today ordered an independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics. “This will be led by the former Permanent Secretary Philip Rycroft, reporting both to me as Secretary of State responsible for elections, and to the Minister of State for Security, as the Chair of the Defending Democracy Taskforce. “The facts are clear. A British politician took bribes to further the interests of the Russian regime, a regime which forcefully deported vulnerable Ukrainian children and killed a British citizen on British soil using a deadly nerve agent. “This conduct is a stain on our democracy. The independent review will work to remove that stain.”

There has been widespread national coverage of the government’s **announcement** which unveiled over £1 billion will be invested for victims of domestic abuse to access support and rebuild their lives. An extra £19 million will be invested under the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation Duty, meaning local authorities will receive nearly £500 million over the next three years to provide support in safe accommodation. The total funding is expected to help nearly 140,000 people, including women and their children. As part of the announcement, the Ministry of Justice also reaffirmed that more than half a billion pounds is also being invested in vital support services to help domestic abuse victims and witnesses navigate the justice process, ensuring survivors receive the support they need at every stage. National coverage can be seen in the **Times** , **_Mirror_** , **Guardian** , **Independent, Express** and **PA** who report that this funding is on top of £480 million already pledged over three years for victims of domestic abuse, including refuges. Elsewhere the **Herald**  and **_Politico London Playbook_**  outline the measures which local authorities will be able to provide includingaccess to housing or confidential locations, as well as security upgrades such as lock changes and alarms for people staying in their own home. This morning, Justice Minister, Alex Davies Jones also gave interviews to **Times Radio, Sky, BBC Breakfast, LBC, ITV GMB, ITN, and GB News** about the announcement. **Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern said:  ** “No one should have to choose between staying in an unsafe home or facing homelessness. “We’re treating violence against women and girls as a national emergency, with a clear commitment to halve it in the next decade. “This funding will help local authorities provide safe accommodation and tailored support, including refuges and Sanctuary Schemes, so every survivor can access safety, stability and a fresh start.” **Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, said:** “With government and society united, we can achieve our mission of halving violence against women and girls within a decade. That means bearing down on abusers but also giving survivors the support and resources they desperately need to rebuild their lives. “This funding will ensure victims remain safe while preventing their abusers from inflicting further unnecessary suffering.”

There has been widespread, national print and broadcast coverage, alongside extensive positive stakeholder reaction, on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s cross-government plan to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping. The strategy is backed by £3.5 billion of investment and is informed by people with lived experience, frontline workers and the sector, and puts real world insight into action. The plan has been positively welcomed by various stakeholders including homelessness charities including **St Mungo’s** , **Shared Health Foundation, Justlife, Revolving Doors, Centrepoint, St Basils and the Lived Experience Forum.** **The Mirror** leads with the story as its splash on its front page, leading with the fact that the ‘scandal’ of homelessness will be halved by 2030 under the strategy, highlighting the three key pledges which include halving the number of long-term rough sleepers, ending the unlawful use of B&B’s for families, and preventing more families from becoming homeless in the first place. Meanwhile, **the Guardian** reports on their interview with the Minister McGovern and coverage can be seen in **Sky** , **the Big Issue**, the I paper and Politico London Playbook who highlight the reception from MP’s and stakeholders. This morning, Homelessness Minister, Alison McGovern, also gave interviews to **Times Radio** , **Sky News** , **LBC** , **Bauer** , **ITV Good Morning Britain** , **ITN** , and **GB News**  to talk about the impact the measures will have and how it will support the most vulnerable in our society to find their feet and improve their lives. **Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:****  ** “Homelessness is one of the most profound challenges we face as a society, because at the heart, it’s about people. Families deserve stability, children need a safe place to grow, and individuals simply want the dignity of a home. “This strategy is shaped by the voices of those who’ve lived through homelessness and the frontline workers who fight tirelessly to prevent it. “Through our new strategy we can build a future where homelessness is rare, brief, and not repeated. With record investment, new duties on public services, and a relentless focus on accountability, we will turn ambition into reality.” **Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern said:****  ** “Everyone deserves a roof over their head. And for those experiencing the worst of homelessness right now – our children – they deserve a place to play and a bedroom to do their homework in. It’s our collective responsibility to make that a reality, for anyone at risk of homelessness, be it sofa-surfing or getting stuck on the streets. “By working together including government, local leaders, charities, and communities, we can stop homelessness before it happens and ensure that when people do fall into crisis, support is swift and effective. The prize is big. Right now, taxpayers are paying the price of failure, with temporary accommodation costs skyrocketing. And the next generation of British young people can’t succeed without the space they need. “This strategy sets us on a better path – to save money and change lives.” **Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said:  ** “The homelessness strategy published today is a watershed moment and is strongly welcomed by St Mungo’s. Homelessness has no place in modern society. The ambition set out today offers the start of a blueprint for ending homelessness and rough sleeping for good. There is no time to lose, we hope the strategy will galvanise decisive action from the whole system. “After 15 years of almost consistent rises in the number of people being affected by homelessness, we are relieved to see the Government recognising the scale of the crisis and the pressing need to address it.  Last year St Mungo’s supported over 26,000 out of homelessness. We see how damaging even a single night on the streets can be, and how quickly that one-off crisis can turn into a complex cycle of homelessness. The new targets need to focus all our minds. “We welcome the focus on prevention as well as on long-term rough sleeping.  We also particularly welcome the new ‘duty to collaborate’; there is a huge opportunity to end the needless homelessness that we see from people leaving hospitals, prisons and asylum accommodation through joining up how government agencies work together.  And we are very pleased to see the continuing commitment to utilise the knowledge, expertise and experience of frontline organisations like St Mungo’s and the lived experience of our clients to help inform the way forward.” **Dr Laura Neilson, Chief Executive, Shared Health Foundation, said:****** "It is heartening to see that ministers have heard the plight of the record number of children and families who are homeless. Alongside the child poverty strategy this strategy is ambitious in reducing the impact of homelessness on families. We urge the government to continue to show brave leadership and look forward to working together to go faster and beyond what is outlined today. Homelessness should be rare, brief and non recurring and is not detrimental to the life chances of children and young people". **Simon Gale, CEO at Justlife, part of the Lived Experience Forum, said:** “This strategy sets out some important steps that reflect what people living in temporary accommodation need most: earlier support, safer places to stay and services that work together rather than in silos. The investment in prevention and frontline capacity is especially crucial at a time when more households are being pushed into crisis. “There is still a long way to go, but this is a crucial step forward. Long stays in poor-quality temporary accommodation remain far too common, and the supply of genuinely affordable homes must grow if we’re serious about lasting change. We’re ready to work with government and local partners to make sure these commitments translate into real improvements for the people who need them most.” **Balbir Kaur Chatrik, Director of Policy and Prevention at Centrepoint, said:** "We have seen record levels of youth homelessness so it’s very welcome to see government looking at young people specifically. “This is a multi-faceted issue and, while on the one hand, there is an urgent need to support those without anywhere safe or stable to stay, we can only solve this crisis by supporting those who may face similar circumstances in the future. The emerging evidence is quite clear that working in schools can identify children who would have otherwise remained hidden and have a positive impact on their risk of homelessness. “That is why the government’s plans to create a duty to collaborate and support in-school prevention, modelled on Centrepoint's Upstream England pilot, has the potential to be a game-changing development. We are hugely excited to continue working with the government and our partners to reach as many vulnerable children as possible.” **Revolving Doors on behalf of the National Expert Citizens Group (NECG), said:  ** “Members of the National Expert Citizens Group have experienced the cycle of trauma and hopelessness that homelessness brings. They know it as more than just a policy problem: for them and thousands of others, it’s something far more personal. We are therefore pleased to see their voices and insights reflected in the strategy and welcome the Government’s recognition of the scale of the homelessness crisis. We share their ambition in tackling this issue so that people can rebuild their lives with hope and dignity.” **Jean Templeton, Chief Executive, St Basil's said:** “The adoption of a National Plan to End Homelessness is very welcome and in particular, the recognition of collective responsibility across government, systems, and sectors for enabling positive life course experiences. The Duty to Collaborate will move beyond a Duty to Refer and hopefully lead to Inclusion being designed into mainstream systems helping to prevent the ultimate exclusion that is homelessness.” **Rachel Brennan, Director of Participation, Progression & Change at Groundswell, part of the Lived Experience Forum said:** "We welcome the commitment to involving people with lived experience in the design and implementation of the strategy. When people with lived experience help shape solutions alongside systems and services the solutions are stronger, more compassionate and more effective. It is encouraging to see recognition of how closely homelessness is linked to our health and the important shift in ensuring that people are not discharged from hospitals or other services into crisis. The focus on collaboration and cross-sector working is a vital step forward recognising everyone has a role to play in ending homelessness."

There has been reporting in the media that the government will allow ‘limitless’ council tax rises – this is not true or accurate. There has been no change in the governments approach to council tax. Council tax has always been, and remains, a decision for local leaders and the government expects all councils to consider their residents when setting rates and ensure support is in place for vulnerable households. The core referendum threshold level, set by the previous government, of 3%, and a 2%, adult social care precept until 2028/29, remains. Yesterday, the Department announced reforms to the outdated local government funding system to make the system fairer, update decades-old data used to distribute money and tackle deprivation across the country. There were no changes to council tax policy. The Local Government Finance Policy Statement, as in previous years, set out that the government will continue to consider requests from a small number of councils facing significant financial pressures for temporary, bespoke arrangements to go above the threshold – but it will not agree to any flexibility where taxpayers are already paying more than the average.  Taxpayers will remain at the heart of the government’s decision making. **An MHCLG spokesperson said:** “Council tax rises are limited to 5% without a local referendum, and we have not made any decision to change that. “We made £69 billion available for council finances this year and we are fixing the outdated and unfair funding system we inherited, so funding finally matches local people’s needs and councils can deliver better public services.”

Renting in England is about to change – and millions of tenants are set to benefit. From **1 May 2026** , new laws will kick in that give **11 million renters** stronger rights, better protections and more security in their homes. **🔑 What’s changing?** * **No more ‘no-fault’ evictions** – landlords in the private rented sector won’t be able to evict tenants without a valid reason. * **Goodbye to fixed contracts** – all tenancies in the private rented sector will roll on from month to month or week to week (depending on your arrangement) with no end date, giving renters more flexibility. Tenants can end them with two months’ notice as well. * **Fairer rent rules** – landlords can only raise rent once a year, and renters can challenge unfair hikes. * **No more bidding wars** – landlords must stick to no more than the advertised rent price. * **One month’s rent upfront, max** – landlords can’t ask for more. * **No discrimination** – it’ll be illegal to refuse tenants just because they receive benefits or have kids. * **Pets welcome** – renters can now ask to live with a pet and landlords must consider it fairly. **🛠️ What about landlords?** Landlords will still be able to get their property back for clear reasons – like selling up, moving in, or dealing with rent arrears or anti-social behaviour. The changes aim to **strike a fair balance** between renters and landlords, making the system **more stable, safer and easier to understand**. **🧾 What’s coming next?** From **late** **2026** , more improvements will roll out: **🏠 A Private Rented Sector Database** * This is a register of all landlords and rental properties in England, so you can check who you’re renting from. The new online database will be rolled out gradually by area from late 2026, showing who is renting out homes across England. You’ll be able to check your landlord and see if they’re properly registered once it is live in the area you live. **🛠️ A free complaints service** * **The Private** **Landlord Ombudsman** will be launched to help renters sort complaints against landlords quickly and fairly - without needing to go to court. It will create an independent person to resolve your complaints against your landlord quickly and fairly. **🧾 Progressing future plans - warmer and safer homes** The government is also continuing work to improve living conditions in privately rented homes.Consultations will inform their timelines. New rules in the future will raise the standard of rented homes - tackling damp, mould and dangerous conditions. Landlords will need to fix serious hazards faster and make homes more energy efficient, helping tenants stay warm and cut bills. **This is what’s coming:** **🧱 Quick landlord action to fix hazards** The government is looking to **extend Awaab’s Law** to private rentals - forcing landlords to act fast when homes are unsafe. A consultation on how best to do this will be launched soon, so private tenants can benefit from protections like those already supporting social housing tenants. **🌱 Greener homes by 2030** By 2030, we plan to require that all privately rented homes must meet **new energy efficiency standards** (EPC rating C or better), unless exempt. That means better insulation, lower bills and greener living. 🏡 **A new Decent Homes Standard for private rentals** For the first time, the government will introduce a **Decent Homes Standard** for privately rented homes - a clear set of rules to make sure every rented property is safe, warm and in good repair. This new standard will help raise the bar across the board, giving renters confidence that their home meets basic safety and quality rules - and giving councils more power to crack down on landlords who don’t meet them. **How will I know how to exercise my new rights next year?** First of all, landlords will be responsible for sticking to these new rules – and your local councils will have stronger powers to act if your landlord breaks them. To help you understand your new rights better, the government will publish guidance for tenants before the changes kick in on 1 May 2026. See MHCLG's press release here.

There has been widespread, national print and broadcast coverage, alongside extensive positive stakeholder reaction, to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s announcement to speed up housebuilding with a default ‘yes’ for new homes around well-connected train stations, measures for the Housing Secretary to potentially intervene in schemes of 150 or more homes, and proposals to streamline the statutory consultee process. The measures have been positively welcomed by the **Home Builders Federation** , **Royal Town Planning Institute** , **Centre for Cities** , major housebuilders **Barratt Redrow** and **Vistry** , campaign groups **Britain Remade** and the **YIMBY Alliance** , alongside building on the progress made by **Platform4**. The **Financial Times** features an exclusive interview with the Housing Secretary, leading on the angle that councils in England are set to lose their power to obstruct large-scale housing projects in an effort to boost housebuilding. Meanwhile, **The Express** reports that pro-building groups have welcomed new pledges to reform planning laws to boost housebuilding around railway stations. The announcement and sector reaction was also covered across national outlets including **PA** ,**iNews**, **Sky News**, and **Independent**, **The Telegraph** , and **Daily Mail**. This morning, Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, also gave interviews to **Times Radio** , **Sky News** , **BBC Breakfast** , **LBC** , **Today Programme** , **ITV Good Morning Britain** , **ITN** , and **GB News** to talk about the impact the measures will have and how it will boost housebuilding across the country. **Housing Secretary, Steve Reed:  ** “I promised we’d get Britain building and that’s exactly what we are doing. But it has to be the right homes in the right places and nearby transport links are a vital part of that. “We’re making it easier to build well-connected and high-quality homes, using stronger powers to speed things up if councils drag their feet, and proposing to streamline the consultation process to cut back delays. “This is about action: spades in the ground, breathing new life into communities, and families finally getting the homes they need.” **_Stakeholder reaction to the announcement_** **Catherine Williams, Planning Director at the Home Builders Federation said:** "Making more land available for development and increasing the certainty of achieving planning permission and doing so more quickly are essential steps if we are to increase housing supply. "Sustainable development is at the core of the planning system and it is positive that Government are being proactive in permitting developments near train stations. “Reducing the number of statutory consultees to planning applications is welcome and should help reduce delays and bureaucracy in the planning process. “Ensuring more larger sites come forward and preventing unnecessary delays to getting sites appropriate for development approved is a positive move that could accelerate supply. “These further changes to the planning system build on the earlier changes made by this Government, and if broader constraints can be addressed, will really help the industry increase the delivery of high quality, environmentally friendly homes.” **Dr Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI, said:** “Sustainable travel means relying less on cars and creating places where walking, cycling and public transport are the easy, everyday choices. But most new housing developments are still car-dependent, with access to key services barely improving over the last decade. “These reforms are a step towards rectifying that, prioritising developments that are built around sustainable, accessible transport from the start. When we line up new development and transport planning, we can better connect homes with jobs, shops and services, build healthier, fairer communities and give people genuine choice in how they get around.” **Robin Dobson, CEO of Platform4, said:   ** “Today’s announcement is a welcome step in the delivery of new homes around train stations and making it simpler for everyone involved. Unlocking land around infrastructure is complex however the neighbourhoods created are well connected and stimulate further growth for towns and cities. We look forward to working with local and combined authorities as we generate more opportunities across the rail estate in the future.” **Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of Centre for Cities, said:   ** “The Government’s continued focus on making the planning system more rules-based and targeting reforms that unlock the economic potential of Britain’s cities is very welcome.” “This streamlined approach to developing new homes around well-connected transport stops is one of the best ways to align the planning system with economic growth. “Prioritising more homes in and around big cities especially will connect more people to places with the highest number of jobs and opportunities." **David Thomas, CEO at Barratt Redrow, said:** “We support the government’s mission to reform the planning system, which remains a significant barrier to UK growth. Today, outline planning permission for a medium-sized development takes an average of two and a half years – more than three times as long as a decade ago. “We also share the ambition to accelerate delivery, with our own plans to grow to 22,000 new homes a year. We welcome these pragmatic proposals for a default ‘yes’ for building near train stations and to streamline the statutory consultee process, and we look forward to working with government to build the homes the country needs.” **Stephen Teagle, Chief Executive of Partnerships and Regeneration, Vistry:****  ** “We welcome today’s announcement; this is a positive step forward and demonstrates the Government’s commitment to delivering more homes where they are needed most. “As the UK’s leading partnerships-led housebuilder, Vistry is committed to placemaking and to developing communities that people are proud to live in. As such, we welcome this move to streamline planning processes around transport hubs where infrastructure already exists. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Government and our partners under this framework, building thriving communities across the country.” **Kane Emerson, Head of housing research at YIMBY Alliance:** "This is a welcome announcement for the hundreds of thousands of British workers that commute by rail every day. Building well-located homes around railway stations will allow workers and their families to live within easy reach of economic opportunity and public services. These are exactly the homes that Britain needs to give people better access to well-paid jobs, reduce car dependency and grow the economy."

Following the Renters’ Rights Act which recently passed in law, the timeline for implementing these new legal protections has been published today, giving time for landlords and letting agents to deliver these changes for their tenants. The roadmap sets out that as of the 1 May, reforms such as banning Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notices, appealing excessive above-market rent increases and making it unreasonable for landlords to refuse tenants’ requests to have a pet will be implemented. Working proactively with **theBBC’s Tarah Welsh, ** a package leading on the ban on no-fault evictions can be seen online and across **BBC Breakfast, Radio 4’s Today Programme,** **BBC 5Live** and **regional BBC radio stations** on their bulletins as well as **LBC, Sky News** , **Absolute Radio** and **Times Radio**. Elsewhere, there is significant national coverage in **The Times** focussing on the implementation being a crackdown on ‘rogue landlords’, whilst also featuring an **op-ed **from the Secretary of State which promotes the benefits of the reforms to both landlords and tenants. Positive coverage can also be seen in **The Mirror** who run an exclusive quote from the Minister for Homelessness Alison McGovern, focusing on the no-fault evictions and the discrimination ban which is being introduced through the Act. The **Big Issue** also carries an exclusive article written by Prime Minister, pledging to end unsafe housing and give renters more rights, noting key measures in the Renters’ Rights Act, including enabling tenants to appeal excessive rent increases and removing landlords' ability to unreasonably refuse pets. Further reports and explainer stories also feature in **LBC** , **Metro** , the **Independent** , **Mail Online This is Money** section, **City AM, Politico London Playbook,** the**Express** and **the Sun** who also featured **a factsheet** on the reforms. Regional, trade and specialist coverage also feature the announcement including in the **Standard** , **Negotiator** , **Property Industry Eye** , **Letting Agent Today, Mortgage Strategy, Property 118, Labour List, Slough and South Bucks Observer, Welwyn Hatfield Times, Eastern Daily Press, Great Yarmouth Mercury, Weston Mercury, Norwich Evening News, **the**Press, Whitchurch Herald, **and **This is Oxfordshire.** **Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:** “We’re calling time on no fault evictions and rogue landlords. Everyone should have peace of mind and the security of a roof over their head - the law we’ve just passed delivers that. “We’re now on a countdown of just months to that law coming in – so good landlords can get ready and bad landlords should clean up their act.” **Chief Executive of Generation Rent, Ben Twomey said:** “This new law is a vital step towards re-balancing power between renters and landlords and should be celebrated. “Our homes are the foundation of our lives, but for too long our broken renting system has left renters staring down the barrel of poverty and homelessness. For decades, Section 21 evictions have forced renters to live in fear of being turfed out of our homes, preventing us from raising valid concerns with our landlords. At last we know when this outdated and unfair law will be sent packing. “This Renters’ Rights Act is the result of years of tireless campaigning from the renter movement, alongside the dedication and strength of ordinary renters. With change on the horizon, I hope that renters across England can rest a little easier tonight in recognition of what we have achieved together.” **Director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, which includes Shelter, Generation Rent, Citizens Advice and ACORN, Tom Darling said:** “Today’s announcement that the end of Section 21 evictions will come into force on 1st May is huge news for England’s 12 million renters. We have fought for this day for so long and to now have certainty about when the last ‘no-fault’ eviction will be is crucial for our members, who will be trying to ensure as many renters as possible are aware of their new rights.” “In addition, it will be important that the government quickly implement the whole Renters’ Rights Act – including the Private Rented Sector Database and Awaab’s Law – so that renters can feel the full benefits of this once-in-a-generation upgrading of their rights as soon as possible.” **Chief Executive of Shelter, Sarah Elliott said:** “Today marks a pivotal step forward for England’s 11 million renters as the government unveils its roadmap for implementing the landmark Renters’ Rights Act. This is the result of years of determined campaigning by renters across the country who refused to accept the injustices of a broken private rental system. “For too long, renters have lived under the constant threat of no-fault evictions. Families have been torn from their communities, with record numbers pushed into homelessness. Too many have been silenced about discrimination and unsafe conditions. Today we celebrate that their voices have finally been heard, and change is on the way. “But renters must understand that their rights will not change today. The current system remains in place until the new rights come into force from May 1, 2026. Until then, we stand ready to support renters and help them understand the vital changes the Act will introduce.” **Chief Executive of Crisis, Matt Downie said:** “The passing of the Renters’ Rights Act was a historic moment. It ushers in a fairer future for millions of renters, with more secure tenancies and protections like longer notice periods to help prevent homelessness. We are pleased to see the government moving quickly and implementing many important protections in the next six months. Evictions from the private rented sector have long been one of the biggest causes of homelessness and this landmark legislation will play a vital role in helping get the country back on track to ending homelessness.” **Policy and Research Manager at Centrepoint, Ella Nuttall said:**  ”This path-breaking legislation will put renters and landlords on a fairer footing and ultimately lead to fewer people facing homelessness. “For far too long, young people have faced a private rental system that is often stacked against them. The Renters’ Rights Act promises to tackle long-standing problems in the rental market and create a fairer, more secure system for all, including young tenants. “Ending homelessness would not be possible without private rented sector reform, so this is an important first step, but ensuring there is enough funding geared towards supporting those currently in crisis and a clear strategy from the centre remain vital parts of the puzzle.” **Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, Emma Haddad said:** “We are delighted that the Government has set an implementation date for the Renters’ Rights Act, so renters, landlords and homelessness organisations like St Mungo’s can plan and prepare for these long-awaited reforms. “Homelessness is spiralling, with many people being pushed into homelessness due to the way the private rental sector is currently operating. But from next Spring, renters will gain vital new protections, including an end to unfair ‘no fault’ evictions, which we hope will prevent more people becoming homeless. “The private rented sector is an important part of the housing system for people moving on from homelessness. At St Mungo’s, we see how difficult it can be for people to secure an affordable private tenancy,  which is why we particularly welcome the Act’s move to end the practice of discriminating against tenants receiving benefits so  everyone has  a fairer chance to find a safe and decent home.  We also warmly welcome the Act’s provisions on allowing pets, which we know can be really important to our clients. “The Renters’ Rights Act is one important part of the picture, and we look forward to the publication of the Government’s Homelessness Strategy to provide the overarching framework, direction and focus for national and local government and charities like St Mungo’s. “St Mungo’s stands ready to work with the Government and the wider sector to create a system that prevents homelessness at all costs, while continuing to provide support to those who need it.”

Today, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced planned reforms to provide local authorities with powers to clean up local politics. This responds to the challenges local authorities have faced since the Localism Act in 2011, which has left them unable to respond to incidents of misconduct and poor behaviour. The announcement was covered across national outlets including **PA,****The Mirror****,** and **The Guardian****.** **PA (Jonathan Bunn)** ran a piece on the wire highlighting that proposals will ‘clean up local politics’ to restore public confidence including introducing suspension powers, withholding allowances and banning individuals from premises in a raft of measures that will be tougher than the existing Localism Act 2011. The **Mirror** (Sophie Huskisson) ran a straight piece which outlines the measures that are being introduced. It notes that "bad actors” misbehaviour within local authorities is being rooted out with new powers such as suspensions and having their allowances withheld. The **Guardian** (Eleni Courea) also report that mayors and councillors in England face suspensions of up to six months for serious misconduct and repeated rule breaches. The piece mentions two examples of cases with councillors this year who were convicted for serious offences but remained in post until they were handed prison sentences. This morning, Minister for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern, also gave interviews to Times Radio, Sky News, LBC, Good Morning Britain, ITN , GB News and Bauer to talk about the impact the measures will have and how it ties in with the government’s wider local government reforms. The announcement is also covered in trade outlets, including the Local Government Chronicle and Municipal Journal, who note that the measures are being proposed to clean up local politics and restore public confidence. Secretary of State, Steve Reed, said: **Secretary of State for Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed, said:** "I know firsthand the dedication and talent within our local authorities up and down the country. "But when a small minority behave badly, it's a disservice to those hardworking councillors and to taxpayers – distracting from the incredible work happening in our communities every day. "We must clean up local politics by rooting out those who bring the system into disrepute. These reforms will give councils and mayoral authorities the power to do exactly that.” **Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern, said:****** "The vast majority of councillors are dedicated public servants working hard for their communities. These reforms will raise the bar and ensure swift, fair action where it's needed most. "Residents deserve the highest standards from their representatives, and those standing for election deserve more back up when things go wrong. “With Town Hall austerity for the poorest places, and rising abuse, being a local councillor is harder than ever. But our country needs local leaders who will stand up for people. These changes are the first step on the road to recovery for local democracy. "These measures will help create a safer, more respectful environment that builds trust and helps attract the best and brightest talent into local government, giving residents the representation they deserve.”

There has been widespread national and regional coverage about our announcement today setting out further details of the historic £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme as well as freeing up £150 million from the Brownfield Housing Fund. Coverage across the board highlighted Mayors will for the first time ‘lead the charge’ to prioritise indicative spending of £7 billion, split across six regions, as part of the Housing Secretary’s drive to accelerate the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. This is alongside more money for Mayors to transform derelict brownfield sites into thousands of new homes in their regions. This announcement has been covered by **I News** , **The Independent** , **The Sun** that all mention mayors and councils being urged to ‘go bold’ with their plans for new social housing ahead of bidding for grant funding officially opening in February next year. This is on top of sweeping measures to remove barriers for councils to build social housing at a scale not seen in years. There is also further pick up in **Inside Housing** , **Housing Today** , **Local Government Chronicle** , **Municipal Journal** , **Property Week** and **Big Issue** reporting about the £7 billion boost for regional Mayors. Comments from the Housing Secretary featured in **The Daily Mirror** setting out how the new measures will be “empowering people, including our great mayors and great councils” who will be “firmly in control of what types of homes get built”. Various regional outlets have also covered the funding in their respective regions, including **Yorkshire Post **and**Birmingham Live**,who both quote the Housing Secretary talking about how the new investment will be lifechanging for thousands of families waiting for a safe, secure home of their own. Other regional coverage includes ****London Standard**** , **Liverpool Echo** , **Telegraph& Argus**, **Chronicle Live** , **Manchester Evening News** , **Express and Star** , **Bury Mercury** and **Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard**. The social housing and brownfield funding news has been warmly welcomed by **seven regional Mayors** and several organisations across the sector, with comments from groups including **Homes England** , **National Housing Federation** and the**G15.** The Housing Secretary undertook the broadcast round this morning speaking to the new funding on **Times Radio** , **Sky News** , **BBC 5 Live** , **LBC** , **ITV’s Good Morning Britain** , and **GB News**. **Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:** "Families have been trapped in so-called temporary accommodation for years or stuck on council waiting lists with no hope of a secure home. “We're changing that for good with the biggest boost to social housebuilding in a generation and getting behind mayors who are ready to build affordable housing across their regions. "We're also backing councils to build again and transform derelict sites into thriving neighbourhoods, urging them to go big, go bold and go build.” **Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram said:** _ _“This marks the single biggest earmarked investment in housing our region has ever seen – and the largest pot of funding we’ve ever seen for social and affordable homes. It’s a massive vote of confidence from the government in our region’s ability to deliver. “Since I was elected, we’ve built more than 32,000 homes, invested a further £60m developing brownfield sites, and retrofitted 10,000 houses. We’ve built up real momentum – but now we’re ready to turbocharge our housebuilding plans. “This new funding will help us go even further towards our target of building 16,000 new social and affordable homes over the next decade – good quality homes that local people can be proud of while also helping us to tackle the homelessness crisis. “We’ve got the vision, the skills, and an abundance of ambition to help the government hit its national targets – but, most importantly, this is about helping more local people and families into safe, secure, and affordable homes of their own. Homes where people can put down roots, build their futures, and get on the housing ladder. “We’re ambitious, we’re excited, and we’re ready to get to work – so let’s build, baby, build!” **Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:** “Having a decent, secure home in a healthy and safe place is one of the foundations of a good life. But too many people in our city region are being held back because of a housing crisis that has gripped the country. “Today’s announcement is a major step towards changing that: unlocking land, building the right homes in the right places, and giving local areas more of a say in how our communities grow. “The investment in social and affordable homes is especially important. It means we can get on with the job of delivering 10,000 new, energy efficient homes for social rent by 2030 - homes that people can actually afford and that will stand the test of time. "Working with Homes England, we’re determined to make this funding count for every community across Greater Manchester.” **Mayor of the North East, Kim McGuinness said:** "I am going to make sure we use every penny of the £1.1bn earmarked to help build thousands more homes to rent and more affordable homes across the North East. “The next step is making sure Homes England are ready to match this ambition and will move at speed to start building the houses we need. “While we work up those plans we're getting on with the job of preparing sites for new housing, ready to far exceed the 705 new homes we have so far cleared the way for on brownfield land in Gateshead, Easington, Ashington and many other parts of the region." **Mayor of West Yorkshire,  Tracy Brabin said:** “With council house waiting lists and private rents at breaking point, addressing the housing crisis is the most fundamental step our government could take to build a brighter Britain. “By increasing the amount of affordable homes funding and aligning it to regional priorities, this government is empowering Mayors to accelerate the delivery of affordable homes across the country. This is a welcome first step towards the full devolution of affordable homes funding. “With £1 billion earmarked for West Yorkshire, we will be able to go even further to build on our success, where last year our partners built more affordable homes than at any time since the financial crash. “Working with the government, our councils and our social housing providers, we’re determined to guarantee a safe and secure roof over the heads of the 2.4 million people who call our region home.” **Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, said:** “This money from Government is game-changing for us; giving us the opportunity to clear hundreds of derelict sites and build thousands of homes. “£700m will allow us to focus on helping to build social and affordable housing meaning we can offer everyone in our community a high-quality home in South Yorkshire, so they can stay near and go far.” **Mayor of York and North Yorkshire,  David Skaith said**:**** “Our region is home to beautiful rural and coastal towns but, with rising rents, costs and second home ownership, working families are being priced out. “That’s why we’re taking action. I’m proud that Government has backed our work with a £7.3 million boost to build nearly 300 new affordable homes on brownfield land. “This takes our Brownfield Housing Fund to a total of 1,400 homes across the region - a great step forward, but just the start. We’ll keep going until every young person has the chance to stay, build a life, and thrive in the communities they call home.” **Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, said:** “For too long there’s been chronic underinvestment in social and affordable housing. That’s blighted thousands of West Midlands families who have been left struggling to pay expensive private sector rents or stuck in temporary accommodation that can often be poor quality. “Helping these families into safe, warm homes that are genuinely affordable is the cornerstone of my Homes for Everyone priority. We’ve made a strong start, but the scale and ambition of this funding will help us go much further, faster. “I look forward to continuing to work with Homes England so we can use this money to provide the homes local people need and change thousands more lives for the better.” **Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said:  ** “Securing this funding marks another opportunity to transform communities in our region. Part of our vision for inclusive growth in the East Midlands is to build 100,000 homes – unlocking new, affordable, and modern places for our residents to live. “Already, the Government is supporting our ambition and recognising our ability to deliver. These developments will bring brownfield land back into use, deliver high-quality homes, and create jobs for local people. This is about more than housing – it’s about building a stronger, fairer future for the East Midlands. “I’m committed to ensuring that every new home built is part of a bigger story: one of opportunity, sustainability, and pride in place for the people of the East Midlands.” **Homes England Chief Executive Amy Rees CB said:** “The importance of this funding cannot be underestimated in opening the door to thousands of new, affordable homes for communities across the country – and we will do everything in our power to ensure every penny of grant allocation helps deliver the right homes in the right places, at pace, for the people who need them. “Our team is incredibly proud and driven to help create a new generation of affordable and social rent homes, working alongside local leaders who know their communities best, and providers who have the expertise and commitment to deliver with our support.” **Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, Kate Henderson said:  ** “Today’s announcements send a clear signal that social and affordable housing remains a pillar of the government’s housebuilding ambitions. “While the housing crisis touches all parts of the country, different areas have different needs. These plans will empower mayors to work alongside housing associations to meet the specific housing requirements of their local communities – be that family-sized homes, or homes for older people. “With a record 170,000 children now homeless and living in damaging temporary accommodation, delivering on a decade of renewal for social housing has never been more important. Housing associations are already ramping up their plans for housebuilding and are committed to working in partnership with the government to deliver the homes our country needs.” **Peabody CEO and Chair of the G15, Ian McDermott said:** “It’s great to see the government backing Mayors to help build more social and affordable homes. This will help regional leaders to support communities and drive local growth through social and affordable housebuilding, and we’re ready to play our part. “As not-for-profit social landlords, we work alongside mayors and councils to regenerate places and provide more and better social homes across the country. We warmly welcome the government’s ambition and commitment and will continue to do all we can to help deliver a decade of growth and renewal for social housing.”

There has been media coverage today questioning whether the government’s 1.5 million homes target is achievable and concerns about the OBR forecast on housebuilding being too optimistic. From the outset the government has been clear this is a stretching but achievable target, and thanks to the planning reforms already introduced, including the updated National Planning Policy Framework, this alone will drive housebuilding to its highest level in over 40 years and add £6.8 billion to the UK economy. The OBR’s estimate only covers existing planning reforms and said this will boost housebuilding by 170,000 homes over five years – reaching 1.3 million new homes by 2029/30. This does not account for pro-growth reforms in the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the National Housing Bank, the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, or wider measures coming down the track. When the government announced an overhaul of the planning system within its first month of office, it was publicly supported by a wide range of representatives across the housing sector who welcomed the first and most important step to break down barriers to development. Last month the Housing Secretary convened leading developers and housebuilders to discuss the next phase of planning reform and how to most effectively ramp up housebuilding in the months ahead. Most recently the Housing Secretary has agreed an emergency package with the Mayor of London to accelerate housebuilding in the capital and ensure more affordable homes are built – this was warmly welcomed by the housing sector to get spades in the ground faster and unlock stalled housing sites. The government remains confident in its plans to get Britain building and will continue working closely with the OBR and sector experts to monitor delivery and adapt as needed. **A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said:** “We will leave no stone unturned to build the 1.5 million homes this country desperately needs and restore the dream of homeownership. “On top of the major planning changes we have already introduced to get developers building and our huge £39 billion investment in social and affordable housing, we are going further and faster to accelerate reforms and bring about the biggest era of housebuilding in our country’s history.”

There has been widespread national, trade and broadcast coverage on the department’s **announcement**  on the Renters’ Rights Bill receiving Royal Assent. England’s 11 million private renters will have significant increase to their rights in a generation as the government’s Renters’ Rights Bill received Royal Assent. National coverage can be seen on **BBC News online** highlighting key measures of protection for private renters including abolishing no-fault evictions, limiting rent increases to once a year at market rate and limiting upfront deposits to one month rent. **The Telegraph** , **Independent** and **ITV News online** write explainer pieces on how rental reforms will affect tenants and landlords. **Across broadcast, BBC News** and **ITV News** both ran packages across their evening news bulletins yesterday noting the greater protections for renters. **BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme** also featured the announcement noting that the Housing Minister has had to go back and forth on amendments with the Lords on the Act. **City AM and theBig Issue **focus on comments from the Prime Minister who said the government was “putting an end” to “rogue landlords or insecure contracts”. **The Metro** also carries exclusive words from the Housing Secretary explaining that the Bill the bill would ‘transform the experience of private renting’. The Secretary of State also took part in lunchtime interviews today with **ITN, Jeremy Vine on Radio 2, World at One on Radio 4** and **Radio 5 Live.** A piece on the**Andrew Marr show on LBC** is also due to run this evening. **Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:** “Every family deserves the dignity of a safe and secure home. “For too long, millions of renters have lived at the mercy of rogue landlords or insecure contracts, with their futures hanging in the balance. We’re putting an end to that. “A secure home isn’t just bricks and mortar – it’s the foundation for opportunity, safety, and a better life. No child should grow up without one.” **Secretary of State Steve Reed said:** “Our historic Act marks the biggest leap forward in renters’ rights in a generation. We are finally ending the injustice overseen by previous governments that has left millions living in fear of losing their homes. “For decades, the scales have been tipped against tenants. Now, we’re levelling the playing field between renters and landlords. “We are tearing down the walls of injustice in the private rented sector and building a future where tenants are protected, respected and empowered. “This is an historic moment for renters across the country and we’re proud to deliver it.”

There has been widespread national, regional and broadcast coverage today on the department’s **_announcement_**  on new laws now in force protecting social housing tenants from emergency hazards and damp and mould. Awaab’s Law is a legacy to two-year-old Awaab Ishak who tragically died from prolonged exposure to mould and the reforms will improve the lives for tenants and families living in all four million of England’s social rented homes. The changes mean landlords must fix emergency health and safety hazards within 24 hours of reporting, while they must also investigate significant damp and mould within 10 working days of being notified and then make properties safe in five working days. National coverage can be seen in **_The Guardian_ , _The Independent_**  and **The I** who report the government has committed to extending Awaab’s law to the private rented sector through the Renters’ Rights Bill. **The Mirror**  and **_Sky News_**  also focus on Awaab’s story with comments from his father in the pieces, while **_Sky News_**  have also run an explainer video sharing the story. An op-ed from the Secretary of State is carried in **_Manchester Evening News_** on the ‘tragedy’ and ‘moment of shame for Britain’ when Awaab Ishak died in 2020. The piece states, ‘this can never happen again’ and praises Awaab’s parents for ‘their incredible fight for justice’. Elsewhere, in broadcast coverage **_BBC News_  **has run an in-depth piece on the introduction of Awaab’s Law and the history behind its name and carries comment from the Secretary of State highlighting the law will give tenants a ‘stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk’. **ITV News **hasalso reported on the new rules coming into effect, focusing on the £1 million fund aimed at creating new ways of helping tenants engage with their landlords and have more influence over decisions affecting them. **_The Big Issue_**  carry a piece by Joe Carpenter, an author and previous social housing maintenance worker, who wrote of his experience working on the frontline and seeing the challenges faced by the sector first hand. The Secretary of State took part in the morning broadcast round and was interviewed by **Times Radio, Sky News, BBC Breakfast, LBC, Radio 4 Today programme, Good Morning Britain,** Bauer and **GB News** , with much of the focus on Awaab’s Law. **Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:****  ** “Everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and Awaab Ishak is a powerful reminder of how this can sadly be a matter of life or death. “Awaab’s family has fought hard for change and their work to protect millions of tenants’ lives will live on as a legacy to their son. “Our changes will give tenants a stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.”

There has been extensive reaction from the housing sector, and national coverage, of the joint announcement to ramp up housebuilding in the capital – and ensure more affordable homes are built. The package – agreed between the Housing Secretary and Mayor of London yesterday (23 October) – will see a time-limited planning route introduced to get more spades in the ground, temporary levy relief for developers, new powers for the Mayor to review and call-in housing schemes and £322m of initial funding for a City Hall Developer Investment Fund. It will mean that more homes, including affordable homes and those for social rent, can be built and built faster - with strict conditions in place to speed up the delivery of new homes. **_Reaction from the housing sector includes:_** **Mark Allan, Chief Executive of Landsec, said:**   “The Secretary of State, the Housing and Planning Minister and the Mayor of London should be congratulated on the pace and focus they have brought to agreeing this package. We recognise that they have moved substantially to put these measures in place. “At the moment, too few schemes are coming forward in London for development. That’s bad for Londoners and it’s bad for the nation. But we also know that if we significantly ramp up housing delivery in the capital we can unlock up to £40 billion in economic benefits to the UK. “The package announced today should go a long way to unlock delivery on stalled sites and accelerate delivery on others, ensuring thousands more homes – including social and affordable homes – are delivered for the benefit of Londoners. We’re keen to get moving.“ **John Mulryan, Group Managing Director, Ballymore, said:******  “We welcome the package announced by the Government today. The measures will have a direct and positive impact on accelerating the delivery of affordable and private homes within our land pipeline — around 15,000 homes across London. “Successful housing delivery in the capital depends on a shared commitment to tackling barriers together. Project viability remains the greatest obstacle to new homes, and we are encouraged that the Government has recognised this and is taking action.” **Fiona Fletcher-Smith, Group Chief Executive of L &Q, said:**  "We can't afford not to build new social homes in London, and owe it to the families living in temporary, overcrowded or unsuitable homes to find a way to kickstart development at scale. "We're pleased to see the Government and Mayor of London working together on this challenge and are committed to being part of the solution. We have a strong track record of delivering high quality, affordable homes in London, and look forward to exploring the opportunities unlocked by these changes - alongside critical future measures including funding and rent convergence." **Clare Miller, CEO of Clarion Housing Group, said:**  “We welcome the government’s commitment to unlocking development in London. Meeting the capital’s housing need requires bold collaboration across sectors. Clarion is ready to work with government and private partners to deliver the affordable and social homes that Londoners urgently need.” **Stephen Teagle, Chief Executive Partnerships and Regeneration, Vistry Group, said:**  "Vistry continues to work in partnership with the Government to help deliver its ambitious housing agenda, including transformative commitments to boosting affordable housebuilding. Delivering more affordable homes, particularly in London, remains central to achieving shared housing and growth objectives. While we recognise the immediate challenges around housing viability in London, Vistry remains committed to leveraging our unique partnerships model, close collaboration with planning authorities, and continued engagement with Government and partners to ensure that the affordable homes our communities need are delivered." **Ben Denton, Head of Strategic Growth, Affordable Homes, Legal & General, said:** “This is a tough call for policy makers. But it is evident that new build housing in London has stalled due to viability issues. This temporary measure will help restart delivery—something that is crucial for London’s continued growth and accessibility as a place to live and work.” **Darragh Hurley, Chief Executive Officer, Mount Anvil, said:**  “In times of crisis, action is needed. We welcome these bold, creative, and decisive measures. Many more Londoners will now benefit from the improved life chances that the delivery of high-quality new homes offers.” **David Thomas, Chief Executive at Barratt Redrow, said:**  “This is a welcome set of proposals that will help to tackle the housing delivery crisis in London. Government and industry are united in wanting to build more homes of all tenures and deliver the investment in infrastructure, jobs and economic growth that development brings. We will continue to work with Government and the Mayor of London to find ways to bring forward developments and unlock more affordable housing to achieve their ambitious targets and meet housing need in the capital." **Paul Rickard, Chief Executive Officer, Pocket Living, said:**  “We are pleased to see a range of meaningful interventions from the Housing Secretary and Mayor of London that will make a real difference in delivering much-needed London homes of every type. The government and GLA continue to listen to the sector, and these changes could provide a vital lifeline for London’s SME housebuilders while ensuring the capital remains central to delivering 1.5 million new homes.” **Rob Perrins, Chair of Berkeley Group, said:**  "We commend the Secretary of State and Mayor of London's leadership in bringing forward this package, which goes a long way towards resolving London's viability challenge. For these measures to work in practice, every organisation involved in housing delivery must now get behind them, and act with real urgency and conviction to increase homebuilding at pace. "At Berkeley Group, we want to play a lead role in driving London's growth. As viability is restored, we stand ready to invest some £3 billion into new land and homebuilding activity, alongside the investment to create our own £2 billion Build to Rent platform." **Simon Carter, CEO, British Land, said:**  "We are delighted to see the new Secretary of State move quickly and whilst this is not a silver bullet, we are encouraged by the direction of travel for new planning applications." **Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive of the Home Builders Federation said:**  “Today’s [23 October] announcement will be welcomed by anyone with an interest in seeing more new homes built for Londoners and ensuring that London thrives socially and economically. For many reasons, building homes in London has become ever more challenging over recent years and as a result the housing pipeline for the capital has all but dried up. To maintain its status as a world-leading city, London desperately needs more new homes. These efforts to improve the viability of delivering new housing and speed up the process of turning investment into homes will help reverse the decline in homebuilding. We now hope to see efforts to support affordability and home buyers, which would make sure this package truly delivers." **John Dickie, Chief Executive at BusinessLDN, said:**   “With housing starts, planning applications and house sales at historic lows in the capital, the Government and Mayor are right to take action to accelerate delivery of the new homes that Londoners desperately need. As housebuilding costs have spiralled in recent years, construction has faltered. This is hitting London’s competitiveness by making it harder for employers to recruit and retain staff, while also forcing boroughs to collectively spend £5.5 million a day on temporary accommodation to tackle homelessness. “Temporarily adjusting the percentage of affordable homes that a project should provide and offering time-limited relief on developer contributions to local infrastructure payments are welcome and these changes, along with greater flexibility on design standards and enhanced planning powers for the Mayor, will help to get more shovels in the ground. We are delighted to see the Government back our calls for the establishment of a City Hall Developer with £320m of funding which can be used to leverage in more private investment and create partnerships to unlock more land for development. **Antonia Jennings, CEO at Centre for London, said:**  “Housebuilding by developers in the capital has plummeted. And we’ve therefore seen a huge reduction in the number of social homes built in London. 336,000 London households are on the waiting list for a social home. Many people are stuck in overcrowded, mouldy or unsafe housing. Something has to change” “The 35% affordable homes target for new developments is admirable, and it’s one London should strive for in the long-term. “The reality is, however, that 35% of nothing, is nothing. When no new developments are being built, there will be no new social homes. If reducing the affordability targets to fast-track planning permission unlocks a substantial number of new developments, the end result will be more social homes in the capital. With the state of the housing crisis, we need immediate action and to make difficult decisions to get spades in the ground. “This is a pilot project, set to take place for two years. It must be used as a temporary measure to release the backlog of stalled sites and unused land, not as a long-term solution.” **Kane Emerson,********Head of Housing, YIMBY Alliance, said:**  “YIMBY Alliance supports the Government’s drive for 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament. Britain has built far too few homes in the best connected locations, driving up housing costs and pricing out working people. The Government’s announcement on improving London Plan guidance is hugely welcome to tackle the housing crisis and allow London to meet the desperate need for more decent homes.”

There has been prominent national print and broadcast coverage about the government unveiling a package of pro-growth amendments to the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill, as part of wider efforts to sweep aside blockers standing in the way of growth and dismantle barriers to get Britain building. This is picked up in **_The Financial Times_** , **_The Independent_** , **_The Guardian_**  and **_LBC_**  focusing on how the pro-growth reforms will speed up the construction of new infrastructure including reservoirs and onshore windfarms. This is on top of granting new powers for ministers to prevent applications being rejected by local councils while they consider using ‘call-in’ powers to decide whether they should be approved. There is also further coverage in **_Housing Today_** , **_Construction Enquirer_ **and**_ENDS Report_ **reporting about the new amendments. **_The Times_**  has run quotes from the Housing Secretary who has pledged to “bulldoze through the barriers that have strangled growth for decades” and “taking the fight directly to the blockers” to see spades in the ground. The news has been welcomed by several organisations, with comments across the media from groups including **the CBI** , **RenewableUK** , **Arup**  and **the Home Builders Federation**. Amendments tabled this week include: * Empowering ministers to issue ‘holding directions’ to stop councils refusing planning permission whilst they consider using their call-in’ powers. * Stopping planning permissions from being timed out on vital housing projects tied up in the courts. * Allowing Natural England to streamline its role by freeing it up to make sensible choices on when to provide advice to local authorities. * Unlocking more onshore windfarms whilst safeguarding UK defence and seismic detection capabilities. * Speeding up the approvals for large reservoirs by enabling non-water sector companies to build reservoirs that are automatically considered as NSIPs. * Securing a win-win across land and sea by allowing the Nature Restoration Fund to support the delivery of marine development. The Housing Secretary undertook the broadcast round this morning speaking to the reforms on **Times Radio** , **BBC Breakfast** , **Sky News** , **ITV’s Good Morning Britain** , **LBC** , and **GB News**. **Housing Secretary, Steve Reed said:** “Britain’s potential has been shackled by governments unwilling to overhaul the stubborn planning system that has erected barriers to building at every turn. It is simply not true that nature has to lose for economic growth to succeed. “Sluggish planning has real world consequences. Every new house blocked deprives a family of a home. Every infrastructure project that gets delayed blocks someone from a much-needed job. This will now end. “The changes we are making today will strengthen the seismic shift already underway through our landmark Bill. We will ‘Build, baby, build’ with 1.5 million new homes and communities that working people desperately want and need.”

There has been media coverage today on our announcement on World Homeless Day confirming an extra £84 million for councils to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This is on top of the record £1 billion investment this year to end homelessness, the funding will support thousands of people facing homelessness, including immediate help for children and families in temporary accommodation. The Daily Mirror and Big Issue report that nearly £70 million will go towards helping to prevent rough sleeping, while children and families living in temporary accommodation will also receive help to cover essentials including food, school travel and laundry through a £11 million funding top up. Focussing on the money being given to each region, the London Standard focuses on the capital receiving a £36.5 million boost ahead of winter – the highest funding. BBC London also covered the story, featuring an interview with Minister McGovern during a visit to the Greenhouse Project, a homelessness support service in Hackney, alongside the Mayor of London. Local outlets, including the Bournemouth Echo, Westmorland Gazette, Cumberland News, Whitehaven News, BBC North West and BBC East Midlands positively report on the individual funds going to their areas to prevent and support homelessness. The £84m cash injection includes: * Nearly £70 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant. * Nearly £11 million to help families with children living in temporary accommodation. * £3 million increase for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment element of the wider Drug and Alcohol Treatment, Recovery and Improvement Grant. * An uplift of £200,000 for the Voluntary, Community and Frontline Sector Grant. **Housing Secretary, Steve Reed said:** “Homelessness is a moral stain on our society. Growing numbers of people have been abandoned to sleep rough on the streets and children left in squalid, overcrowded conditions. “This government will not stand idly by and allow that to continue. We will make different choices. That’s why we are investing £1 billion to give homeless people the security of a roof over their heads and get back on track to end homelessness for good.” **Homelessness Minister, Alison McGovern said:** “You can’t have a decent life without a decent home. Whether it’s rough sleeping or sofa surfing or, at its worst, children stuck in B&Bs, homelessness in the UK has been too high for too long. “This has to stop. Through our Plan for Change, the UK will build homes and get help to those who need it to put a roof over their head. “We’re providing extra cash now to address a crisis made over the past decade. Both the government’s £39bn to build social and affordable homes and the Child Poverty Strategy to come will tackle the root causes of this problem, but we need action now to stop homelessness getting any worse.”

There has been widespread, positive coverage across every national outlet on the government’s announcement to speed up the long drawn-out and costly homebuying and selling process – the biggest shakeup in this country’s history. Hundreds of thousands of first-time buyers are set to save £710 when buying a home under the proposals which will reduce the process by four weeks, saving people time, money and reducing unnecessary stress. **The** **Metro****’s** front page splashes**** on exclusive comments from the Prime Minister, stating the homebuying process is “one of the most stressful things” people will do. He focused on the “torturous process of transactions” that "fall through at the last minute, costing thousands of pounds” after they have “shelled out for surveys and solicitors”. In addition, several national papers have run the story on its front pages including **The Daily Telegraph** , alongside further prominent coverage in **The Guardian****,****Sky News** (including a news alert), **Independent****,****BBC News online****,** **PA,****The Mirror**, The I, the **Sun, Daily Star, Financial Times, The Times** and the**  Daily Mail. **Minister Fahnbulleh has also undertaken the morning broadcast round on the topic and carried out interviews with **Times Radio** , **Sky News** , **BBC Breakfast** , **LBC** , **ITV’s Good Morning Britain** , **ITN, Bauer**  and **GB News.** The news has also been welcomed by a number of organisations, with comments across the media from groups such as **Rightmove, Zoopla, Nationwide, Santander, and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.** Reforms unveiled today include: * Sellers and estate agents required to provide buyers with vital information about a property upfront including the condition of the home and leasehold costs * Binding contracts to stop people walking away from agreements after months in painstaking negotiations * Introduce mandatory qualifications and ‘Code of Practice’ for estate, letting and managing agents, driving high standards in the sector and increase trust in the industry. * Deploying the use of technology – including digital property logbooks, digital ID verification, and standardised data sharing – enhancing transparency and security for buyers and sellers. **Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, said:****** “Buying a home should be a dream, not a nightmare. “Our reforms will fix the broken system so hardworking people can focus on the next chapter of their lives. “Through our Plan for Change we are putting more money back into working people’s pockets and making a simple dream a simple reality.”

This week the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced the Pride in Place Programme, a landmark £5 billion initiative that will see money handed to communities to invest in their priorities and revitalise high streets over the next decade. There is widespread, positive national and regional coverage of the announcement, focussing on the funding for areas and how local people will be in charge of where money goes. **_The Mirror_** writes the announcement up as a “major investment” as part of the PM’s backing for the UK’s ‘true patriots’. The piece goes on to quote the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday, announcing the funding, and also carries comments from MHCLG’s Secretary of State and the Chancellor. The paper’s editorial, titled ‘Streets of Hope’, sets out the announcement isn’t just about “bricks and mortar” but about bringing “hope and opportunity” to communities. **_The Independent_ **takes a closer look at the programme, explaining what it means, highlighting the fact that the money will be given to communities to spend as they see fit for their areas. **_BBC News_**  also newly features an interactive map as part its online explainer on the announcement, showing where the funding has gone to. There has also been widespread regional coverage across England, with stories positively reporting on the individual funds going to their areas to invest in their communities, with many local papers welcoming funds for their “long overlooked” towns - from the South (**Sussex World**, **Bristol World**, **Kent Online**) to the East of England (**Southend Echo** and **Colchester Gazette**), the Midlands (**BBC Birmingham & Black Country**, **Birmingham Live**, **BBC Telford** and **Derbyshire Live**) North West (**Lancashire Post**, **Lancashire Telegraph**, **Cumbria News & Star** and **Liverpool Echo**), North East (**Chronicle Live **and **Sunderland Echo**) and Yorkshire and the Humber (**BBC Yorkshire**). In Scotland, headlines focus on the “decade of national renewal” and the “boost for high streets” with £292m going to Scottish towns (**_Daily Record_** ,  **_The Herald_** , **_Glasgow Times_** ,  **_The Edinburgh Reporter_** , **_Cumnock Chronicle_**  and **_Inverness Courier_**) and in Wales, reports lead with the total £214m to help “clean up their towns” (**_Wales Online_** , **_BBC Wales online_** , **_Caerphilly Observer_ , _Swansea Bay News_** , **_Business News Wales_** , **_Deeside.com_**  and **_South Wales Argus_**). **Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:** _“For too long, people have watched their towns and streets decline – powerless to stop boarded-up shops and neglected parks. That ends now.  _ _“We’re investing in the UK’s future, by backing the true patriots that build our communities up in neighbourhoods across every corner of the country. Because it’s people who bring pride, hope and life to our communities._ _“This is a huge investment, but what matters most is who decides how it’s spent: the neighbours, volunteers and parents who know their communities best – the people with real skin in the game._ _“We’re choosing renewal over decline, unity over division. This is our Plan for Change in action – giving power and pride back to the people who make Britain great.”_ **Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed said:** _“Building pride in place starts with people, not politics. Local people know what they want to see in their neighbourhoods – and they don’t need government to dictate it.  _ _“This plan will spark an historic grassroots movement that will restore local people’s power, boost national pride and help people get on in life across the UK as part of our Plan for Change.”_ **The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:  ** _"We’re giving local people the power to transform their hometowns. Giving them more control of how money is spent where they live so that together we can invest in Britain’s renewal and build an economy that rewards working people._ _“This £5 billion investment doesn't just reverse decades of underinvestment in our public infrastructure – it cuts through the bureaucracy by giving local people the power to deliver the change they want to see."_

This week the Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, brought together key developers and housebuilders, alongside Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, to work in partnership with industry leaders to ramp up housebuilding. Discussions focused on tackling the remaining barriers, including complex planning processes, that stand in the way of building 1.5 million homes in this Parliament. The Housing Secretary also visited a housing site in Bedfordshire, witnessing first-hand the best ways to move forward and speed up building at sites up and down the country, with residents moving into the new homes being built. The ‘call to arms’ was covered exclusively by BBC News and aired on BBC Breakfast, who interviewed the Housing Secretary in Bedfordshire and focused on his commitment to build 1.5million homes and reduce barriers to development. Further coverage landed in the Independent outlining that the government will work in partnership with developers and housebuilders to build the homes people desperately need. **Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, said:   **_“I want us to build, baby, build, so we can put the key to a decent home into the hands of every single family that needs it._ _“We are doubling down on our plans to unleash one of the biggest eras of building in our country’s history and we are backing the builders all the way._ _“Through major planning reform and investment, we will break down the barriers to development and build the 1.5 million homes this country needs as part of our Plan for Change.”_

Two significant judgments from the Court of Appeal have confirmed that key provisions of the Building Safety Act 2022 (the Act) apply retrospectively. This means that leaseholders are protected from having to pay to fix safety issues in their building, even if the costs were incurred before the law came into force. In the first case, _Adriatic Land 5 Ltd v Long Leaseholders at Hippersley Point_, the Court confirmed that Schedule 8 to the Act, which prevents landlords from passing on historical building safety costs to leaseholders, covers costs incurred before the legislation was introduced. The Court also ruled that these protections are compatible with human rights law, striking a fair balance between landlord’s interests and the wider public interest in making homes safe. In the second case, _Get Living Plc v Triathlon Homes LLP_, the Court confirmed that Remediation Contribution Orders (RCOs) can be used to recover costs incurred before the Act came into force. RCOs are a legal remedy introduced by the Act which can be used to secure funds towards essential remediation work. These powers allow leaseholders and others to ask the Tribunal to order developers, landlords or associated companies to contribute towards the costs of fixing historical building safety issues. The judgment confirms that public funds should only be used as a last resort. While further appeals to the Supreme Court are possible, the Court of Appeal’s decisions provide important legal clarity on the scope and application of the Building Safety Act 2022. **Media coverage and legal analysis  ** The judgments prompted national and trade press coverage, as well as detailed analysis in legal publications. 4 Pump Court, a barrister’s chambers, described the Triathlon case as “a pivotal moment in the interpretation of the Building Safety Act,” noting that the Court “firmly rejected the argument that remediation contribution orders could not apply to costs incurred before the legislation came into force.” The article also highlighted that the ruling “provides welcome clarity for leaseholders and housing associations seeking to recover historic remediation costs.” Law firm CMS wrote that the decisions “provide much-needed clarity on the scope of leaseholder protections and the operation of remediation contribution orders,” and the Court’s reasoning “will be welcomed by leaseholders and housing campaigners alike.” The article also noted that the rulings “reinforce the government’s intention that the Building Safety Act should have real teeth.” Housing Today reported the rulings “backed leaseholders and government in key cases on Building Safety Act retrospectivity.” The piece also observed that the judgments “represent a significant endorsement of the government’s approach to building safety reform.” BBC News also covered the rulings, noting the potential for these decisions to have far reaching implications for building owners, developers and leaseholders. The article included legal commentary, highlighting that while retrospective legislation is unusual, it is essential to ensure leaseholder protection and to hold those responsible for defects to account.

There has been media coverage today on a new report called the ‘Rogue Landlord’ published by law firm, Duncan Lewis. The report has detailed various ways tenants are being exploited by landlords through dangerous hazards in residences, abuse, and threats of eviction. Key statistics in the report show that more than one in five tenants have been threatened with eviction in the last 12 months and one in 15 renters have been harassed and one in 18 have received verbal threats or abuse in the past year. This exploitation of tenants is completely unacceptable, and we’re determined to stamp out these practices. Through provisions in the Renters’ Rights Bill, we’re giving councils the powers they need to crack down on rogue landlords, and we will go further to strengthen enforcement by giving authorities the power to keep revenue from financial penalties imposed on landlords who flout the rules, so it can be used to fund future enforcement efforts. We’re also extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector and introducing a Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the first time, making sure all rental properties are secure, hazard-free, and meet modern expectations. The landmark Renters’ Rights Bill, which is progressing through Parliament, will set out the legal framework for these standards and give councils the tools they need to enforce them effectively. **An MHCLG spokesperson said:** “These findings are extremely concerning, and some of the very serious activity referenced is illegal and should be reported to the police. “We are cracking down on rogue landlords who make tenants' lives a misery, delivering long overdue reform to the private rented sector. “Our Renters’ Rights Bill will protect renters by banning section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and giving councils stronger powers to crack down on landlords who break the rules - including criminal prosecution. “This is alongside tackling the blight of poor-quality homes by extending Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector and introducing a Decent Homes Standard for privately rented homes for the first time. ”

In June we opened a consultation on the Fair Funding Review 2.0 which set out our proposals to fix the outdated way local authorities are funded to make it fairer and fit for the future, so local leaders can deliver the vital public services their communities rely on. Our proposals will ensure funding is targeted effectively at the places and services that need it most and allocated in a way that empowers local leaders to deliver against local priorities. We are aware that some local authorities, consultancies and local government sector groups are estimating their future financial positions based on the proposals set out in the consultation. To support local authorities to understand the impacts of our proposed changes we would like to clarify how the data presented in these external models should be interpreted. We expect that councils with social care responsibilities will see their Core Spending Power (CSP) increase in real terms over the multi-year Settlement, with most councils seeing their Core Spending Power increase in cash terms. We also expect that by the end of the multi-year Settlement,  areas with high deprivation will have on average higher CSP per capita than less deprived area. Local Authorities using externally produced models should look at the estimated figures in the context of calculating their CSP by the end of the multi-year Settlement rather than their CSP change over the period. [See graph below.] Local authorities focussing only on their percentage change in allocation need to consider their current CSP compared to other areas with similar levels of need, and their final allocation by the end of the multi-year Settlement. This is because local authorities have different variables that may impact their current financial position ahead of transitioning to their new allocation. Allocations are currently calculated using the outdated 13-14 Settlement Needs Assessment, which includes a number of measures that do not accurately reflect areas current needs, like: the Business Rates Retention system that was designed to be reset but was not; transition protections which were built into allocations; and needs formulae which were last updated in 2013/14 and have not been updated to account for change, including varying rates of population growth across the country, over the last decade. Another variable was the £600m Recovery Grant delivered as part of the 25-26 Settlement. The Recovery Grant was an interim measure that targeted funding towards areas with greater need and demand for services (using deprivation as a proxy), and less ability to raise income locally. Whilst the Recovery Grant did not capture need in the same way that our proposed new modelling will, it meant that the authorities in receipt of the grant had a head start in moving towards their target allocations. The Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation closed on the 15th August. We will carefully consider all responses and publish our final proposals alongside the Local Government Policy Statement in the autumn, with allocations being set out in the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later in the year.

The current, outdated way in which local authorities are funded means the link between funding and need for services has broken down. There has been media reporting that some local authorities will increase council tax because of the government's Fair Funding Review 2.0. The current, outdated way in which local authorities are funded means the link between funding and need for services has broken down. Some places have been left behind with communities facing declining neighbourhood services – this is not fair. The previous government themselves understood this in their ‘Fair Funding Review’ but they did not deliver, launching the Fair Funding Review in 2016, but did not take proposals forward.  We are taking a different approach and making good on this long-overdue promise through the Fair Funding Review 2.0. Subject to the consultation's results, we will update the funding system to more accurately account for deprivation, including pockets of disadvantage, and to account for the differing ability of councils to raise income locally, which results from the number and values of homes within a council area. We recognise that change of this scale requires careful management. That is why we are inviting views on a package of transitional arrangements available over the multi-year Spending Review period, including providing a funding floor. And any council with concerns about their ability to set or maintain a balanced budget can approach government directly. Reporting of the impact on council tax is speculation. It is for local authorities to decide at what level they set their council tax within the referendum thresholds. The Spending Review confirmed the government intends to maintain the referendum threshold at 3%, with 2% for the adult social care precept. **An MHCLG spokesperson said:** “The current, outdated way in which local authorities are funded means the link between funding and need for services has broken down, leaving communities left behind. “That’s why we are taking decisive action to reform the funding system so we can get councils back on their feet and improve public services, with the IFS recognising that our changes will better align funding with councils’ needs.”

Allotments are a valuable and important community resource Recent media reporting has criticised the government for allowing councils to sell allotment spaces. Allotments are a valuable and important community resource, and there are strict criteria in place to protect them. These rules on sales of assets have been in place since 2016 and they have not changed, and ministerial approvals were lower in 2024 than the average for previous years. For these sites to be sold, councils must get approval from the MHCLG Secretary of State and they can only be sold where this is absolutely necessary and where the legal threshold is met. Similar protections are in place for playing fields, where councils must get the Department for Education’s approval. Councils support having this flexibility, and there are strict criteria in place to protect statutory allotments – these are sites covered by the Allotment Act 1925 where local authorities can prove they were acquired to set up allotments. In one instance, an application by Elstree & Borehamwood Town Council to dispose of 54 allotment plots was to enable the construction of 186 homes – including 80 per cent affordable housing. As part of the application, an adjacent piece of land will be developed to deliver 100 allotment plots replacing those being disposed of. The National Allotment Society (NAS) has also been clear on the issue saying there has been “no change to the legal protections that apply to statutory allotments” and that “no statutory site can be sold or developed without going through a clearly defined legal process”. NAS said the eight approvals represented a slight decrease in allotment disposals in recent years, and that it had not challenged any of the applications as they had all met the legal threshold with either low take-up of plots or alternative allotment space provided elsewhere. **An MHCLG spokesperson said:** **** “Councils have been able to sell assets since 2016 and these rules have not changed. They should only do so where it is clearly necessary and offers value for money. “We know how important allotments are for communities, and that is why strict criteria is in place to protect them, as well as school playing fields.” **_Additional background on allotments:_** Year - Consents Granted 2024 - 8 2023 - 6 2022 - 10 2021 - 6 2020 - 12