CIEH Housing Policy Bulletin # 55
27 July 2016
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Government
APPG Housing and Planning Inquiry – Housing Emergency – PRS theme
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Housing and Planning has instigated a huge inquiry looking at the nation’s “housing emergency”, through a focus on 12 themes, one of which is the PRS.
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the secretariat to the group, has asked the British Property Federation to convene the PRS theme of the APPG’s work, and as a first step the BPF have prepared a consultation document http://www.bpf.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/BPF-APPG-consultation-on-the-PRS-Jul16.pdf. Please do not feel obliged to answer all 20 questions! If you have particular interest, or hot topic, the BPF will be happy to receive a submission on part of it.
Also to generate interest and ideas outside stakeholders the BPF are seeking to generate discussion on the topic using Twitter tag #PRSviews and a graphic (attached) to spur that along. The CIEH will be responding to the inquiry.
(Submissions required by 5th September)
All Party Parliamentary Group on Excellence in the Built Environment – Report on the Quality of New-Build Housing
A cross-party committee of MPs and construction experts is calling on the Government to set up a New Homes Ombudsman to mediate in disputes between homebuyers and housebuilders. This is one of 10 recommendations setting out measures to improve the quality of workmanship in new homes and provide consumers with easier and cheaper forms of redress, to get problems fixed.
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment in its report More homes, fewer complaints says house builders should be upping their game and putting consumers at the heart of the business model. Alongside this, Government should use its influence to promote quality at every opportunity. http://cic.org.uk/services/inquiry-into-the-quality-of-new-build-housing-in-england.php
Housing (Tenants’ Rights) Bill
A Private Members’ Bill has been presented to establish a Living Rent Commission to conduct research into, and provide proposals for, reducing rent levels in the private rented sector and improving terms and conditions for tenants; to require the Secretary of State to report the recommendations of the Commission to Parliament; to introduce measures to promote long-term tenancies; to establish a mandatory national register of landlords and lettings agents; to prohibit the charging of letting or management agent fees to tenants; and for connected purposes.
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2016-17/housingtenantsrights.html
CLG Committee Inquiry into financial sustainability of adult social care
(Submissions required by 18 August)
Future of an Ageing Population
This final summary report from the Government Office for Science is the culmination of 3 years work analysing and bringing together evidence about today’s older population, alongside future trends and projections, to identify the most critical implications for government policy https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-of-an-ageing-population
One of the key points included in the housing section notes the importance of the quality of the existing housing stock:
Ensuring there is appropriate housing. Demand for housing that meets the needs of older people will increase as the population ages. Adapting existing housing stock to meet this demand is critical as even by 2050 the majority of housing will have been built before 2000. [our emphasis]. Ensuring new housing can adapt to people’s changing needs as they age will also be important, reducing demand on health and care services and enabling people to work flexibly and for longer.
Housing and Ageing Report (English Housing Survey data analysis)
A new government report about Housing and Ageing, based on in-depth analysis of the English Housing Survey, notes the finding that the vast majority (94%) of older households were satisfied with their accommodation compared to 86% of younger households, and for those older people classified as ‘under-occupying’ this satisfaction rises to 97%.
Given that ‘older age’ commonly now lasts for 30 or even 40 years, there is some helpful analysis of the situations of different age groups within the ‘older age’ category.
For example, this reveals a marked difference for those aged 85 years, who are more likely to live in a non-decent home than other any other age groups and live on lower incomes.
Some 29% of households where the oldest member was 85 or over lived in a non-decent home. This compares to 17% for households aged 55-64 years and 20% for households where the oldest person was under 55.
The report includes analysis of a range of factors & trends, including home moves, income levels, dwelling characteristics, and is invaluable to anyone interested in this field.
The report is one of nine detailed subject analyses of 2014-15 English Housing Survey published on 21 July. Others are:
Adaptations and Accessibility of Homes
Energy
Housing and well-being
Housing stock
Private rented sector
Social rented sector
First time buyers
Smoke alarms
All available as listed on this page
House of Lords Select Committee on Economic Affairs – “Building More Homes” report
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201617/ldselect/ldeconaf/20/20.pdf
House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts – report on Household Energy Efficiency measures
Household energy efficiency measures
Partner Updates
Good Housing: Better Health – report of the Academic-Practitioner Partnership
Anyone with even a passing interest in the condition of the nation’s homes and their impact on people’s health will find a new report Good Housing, Better Health of relevance.
Noting that ‘The UK has the oldest housing stock and highest medical costs associated with inadequate housing of any of the European countries‘ the report calls for a rebalancing of housing debate and policy so that unhealthy housing is tackled alongside strategies for increasing new housing supply.
[Summary also available here]
Foundations report – “The Collaborative HIA”
One of the only sources of practical help for lower income owner occupiers whose homes need adaptations and/ or repairs are home improvement agencies (HIAs). The body commissioned by national government to co-ordinate HIAs, Foundations, has published its vision for their future in ‘The Collaborative HIA’
CIH Report: UK Housing Review
Figures collated by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) reveal for the first time the extent to which government investment is being directed towards the private market and home ownership, with very little now directed towards helping the eight million households who will not be able to get onto the home ownership ladder.
The UK Housing Review briefing’s examination of current government support for affordable and private market housing investment in England from 2015/16 onwards shows that out of the £45 billion of government investment dedicated to housing, just £2 billion is being spent on below-market rented housing, only four per cent of the total. This is largely because money previously directed toward housing for rent is now going towards low-cost home ownership initiatives, such as shared ownership and starter homes, where over £6 billion is now to be invested.
Closing the health gap – a gap worth closing: How housing can play its part in reducing health inequalities (Housing LIN report)
Building Healthier Homes: Urban Land Institute toolkit
http://uli.org/wp-content/uploads/ULI-Documents/Building-Healthy-Places-Toolkit.pdf
College of Occupational Therapists – Care Act Guides
Download these guides from: www.cot.co.uk/care-act-englan
Kings Fund report: Health and Wellbeing Boards Explained