STORY
The Government has confirmed that it will introduce amendments to the Social Housing Bill intended to improve access to housing for homeless households. Councils would receive new powers to refer homeless households to private registered providers of social housing, with the aim of strengthening cooperation between councils and housing associations and reducing reliance on temporary accommodation.
The Bill will also require private social housing providers to notify councils and other potential purchasers before selling homes outside the social housing sector. The Government intends to extend the notification period to eight weeks, giving councils and housing providers more time to consider purchasing the properties and retaining them for social housing.
A new Duty to Collaborate would require public services to work more closely together to identify people at risk of becoming homeless and consider what action they can take within their existing responsibilities. The Government said that the measures would support local authorities facing homelessness pressures and complement the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, which is intended to increase the supply of social and affordable housing over ten years.