Tag: Housing and Communities

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 27 February 2025.

An overhaul of local plans has been confirmed by the Government today.

Decisions by councils on new development will be clearer, simpler, and prepared up to four years faster to help fix the housing crisis, thanks to further changes announced today.

An overhaul of local plans – which are frameworks to determine where houses and infrastructure should be built – has been confirmed by the government, with a clear expectation for them to be made within two-and-a-half-years as opposed to an average time of seven years.

New changes include introducing regular assessments to help councils stay on track towards meeting their targets, greater clarity about how plans should be prepared and updated, and using digital tools to increase transparency on available land for new development.

This is backed by an additional £4.5 million to fund salary bursaries for new planning roles in councils, with ambition to surpass the government’s manifesto commitment of 300 extra planners by the end of next year. Nearly 90 graduate planners have already started work through this programme.

Reforms support the government’s Plan for Change to build 1.5 million homes and reinforces the importance of local plans to achieve this, with fewer than a third of places currently having up-to-date plans in place which can lead to speculative, unplanned development.

Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said:

“The plan-led approach is, and must remain, the cornerstone of our planning system and the government are determined to progress toward universal coverage of local plans.

“The steps we are taking today will ensure that local plans are simpler, faster to prepare and more accessible so that communities in every part of the country can more easily shape decisions about how to deliver the housing and wider development their areas need.

“Alongside further guidance and support to help local authorities realise the full potential of this government’s planning reforms, these changes will help deliver our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament.”

Today’s changes build on the growth-focused National Planning Policy Framework announced last December that told councils to play their part to meet local housing need, with new immediate mandatory housing targets and requirements to prioritise lower quality ‘grey belt’ land if unable to meet these targets.

Additional funding of £70,000 will be handed out to each of the 133 local authorities who came forward for support to help them carry out locally led green belt reviews. Further funding for councils at the later stages of plan-making will be announced in due course to help them prepare or update their local plans.

This is part of over £14 million in grant funding available to support councils in updating their local plans and reviewing their current green belt land, enabling them to hire more staff and consultants to carry out technical studies and site assessments. Planning guidance has been updated today to support local councils to identify land for development including grey belt.

This is alongside new guidance on Local Nature Recovery Strategies that is being prepared across England to agree priorities for nature recovery, as well as further guidance for making effective use of land to ensure suitable brownfield land is prioritised for development as much as possible.

The capacity and capability of local authorities will be boosted by increased planning fees with an extra £50 million income, making sure councils have the resources needed to rubberstamp the approval of new homes and infrastructure.

A new dedicated webpage for plan-making resources has been created to provide clearer guidance and practical tools to speed up plan making, underpinned by quality data, and further practical resources will be added over the coming year to help planners at all stages of creating or updating a local plan.

The government is changing the way the plan-making process works with the same focus on policy set out in the 2023 consultation and intends to confirm the necessary regulations and guidance later this year.

Further information

The Housing and Planning Minister’s written ministerial statement can be read in full here.

The government has published a new dedicated webpage for plan-making resources for councils on how to create or update a local plan. It can be found here.

Councils can also sign up to the expression of interest for the Local Government Association’s Pathways to Planning Initiative here.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 26 February 2025.

In the full response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report today (26 February), the government has accepted the findings and sets out its plans to act on all 58 recommendations.

• Sweeping construction, building and fire safety reforms set out as government accepts findings and takes action on all 58 recommendations in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report
• Tough new rules on construction product safety, backed by a strengthened regulator to stamp out bad practice and drive higher standards
• Debarment investigations to be launched for seven organisations named in the report using tough new procurement powers
• Stronger, more enhanced protections for social tenants, including by empowering them to challenge landlords and demand safe, high-quality housing

Tough new reforms to ensure all homes are safe, secure and built to the highest standards will benefit millions of people across the country as the government takes decisive action to tackle the failures that led to the devastating Grenfell Tower tragedy – which resulted in the loss of lives of 72 innocent people.

In the full response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report today (26 February), the government has accepted the findings and sets out its plans to act on all 58 recommendations, driving a sweeping transformation to enhance building and fire safety standards.

Under the proposals, industry will be held to account for failure, with new regulatory measures to prevent a tragedy like the events at Grenfell Tower from ever happening again.

The Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:

The Grenfell Tower tragedy claimed 72 innocent lives in a disaster that should never have happened. The final report exposed in stark and devastating detail the shocking industry behaviour and wider failures that led to the fire, and the deep injustices endured by the bereaved, survivors, and residents.

We are acting on all of the Inquiry’s findings, and today set out our full response, detailing the tough action we are taking to drive change and reform the system to ensure no community will ever have to face a tragedy like Grenfell ever again.

That means greater accountability, stronger regulation, and putting residents at the heart of decision-making. We must deliver the fundamental change required. We owe that to the Grenfell community, to the country, and to the memory of those who lost their lives.

The Grenfell Inquiry’s final report exposed a system that ignored safety risks and failed to listen to residents. The report laid bare ‘systemic dishonesty’ in the industry, failures in the construction sector and by successive governments, and poor regulation in the run up to the disaster.

The government has apologised on behalf of the British state for its part in these failings and introduced significant changes to fix the worst issues exposed by the tragedy.

Reforms set out today include:

• A new single construction regulator to ensure those responsible for building safety are held to account.
• Tougher oversight of those responsible for testing and certifying, manufacturing and using construction products with serious consequences for those who break the rules.
• A legal duty of candour through a new Hillsborough Law, compelling public authorities to disclose the truth, ensuring transparency in major incidents, and holding those responsible for failures to account.
• Stronger, clearer, and enforceable legal rights for residents, making landlords responsible for acting on safety concerns.
• Empowering social housing residents to challenge landlords and demand safe, high-quality housing, by expanding the Four Million Homes training programme. Make it easier for tenants to report safety concerns and secure landlord action by taking forward the Make Things Right campaign.
• Ensuring lasting transparency and accountability by creating a publicly accessible record of all public inquiry recommendations.

As well as changes in regulation, in December 2024, the government launched its Remediation Acceleration Plan which sets out tough new measures to get buildings fixed quicker and ensure rogue freeholders are held to account.

Building Safety Minister Alex Norris said:

The Grenfell Tower fire was a preventable tragedy, and the failings it exposed demanded fundamental change.

Our response today to the Inquiry’s findings sets out a comprehensive plan to reform the construction sector, strengthen oversight and make sure that residents are the priority when deciding on building safety issues.

We will continue working closely with industry, local authorities and the Grenfell community to make sure these reforms deliver real, lasting change and rebuild trust.

Supplier Accountability

Today the government set out the next steps of its review to identify where the Inquiry’s report found failings by specific named organisations in relation to the Grenfell fire.

New powers under the Procurement Act will be used to investigate seven of the organisations criticised in the report. If certain grounds are met, their names will be added to a published debarment list which must be taken into account by contracting authorities when awarding new contracts.

A legacy of justice for the Grenfell community

The government remains fully committed to supporting the bereaved families, survivors and residents long-term, as well as to working with the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission to ensure a fitting and lasting memorial, determined by the community. This will serve as a permanent tribute to honour those lives lost and those whose lives were changed forever.

The transformation set out today is not only about fixing the failures of the past but about ensuring a safer future for generations to come. The highest safety standards will be embedded into the 1.5 million homes the government is committed to delivering this Parliament, ensuring that every new home meets robust safety requirements.

The government response makes clear there is still much more to do and is committed to taking decisive action in response to every recommendation.

Notes to editors:

• The government’s progress towards implementing Inquiry recommendations will be published every quarter from mid-2025. We will also provide an annual update to Parliament to ensure wider scrutiny of the pace and direction of work.
• We will deliver reform using a phased approach over the course of this Parliament, bringing together the recommendations directed at government and wider reform as coherent packages. The first phase (2025 to 2026) will focus on making sure that we effectively deliver our current programme of regulatory reform and change. The second phase (2026 to 2028) will focus on having fully developed proposals to deliver recommendations and wider reform, including via legislation. From 2028 onwards, the Government will focus on implementing these reforms.
• We will keep the new system under review to evaluate its effectiveness and ensure it is delivering the intended improvements to residents’ lives. We will make sure that we are taking on residents’ feedback as part of this.
• This response marks the start of a new relationship between government and industry that is based on transparency, clarity, collective responsibility and external scrutiny. We will hold actors in the system to account, effectively enforce standards, steward the highest standards of culture and behaviour and facilitate transparent conversations. However, we also expect industry to take responsibility to instil this change.
• Safe housing is not a privilege but a fundamental right, and these reforms will ensure that right is upheld in every community. A green paper is also being launched today which includes detailed proposals for system wide reform of the construction products regime.
• Debarment investigations into the organisations are set out in today’s Written Ministerial Statement.
• The government will continue to support for the Metropolitan Police’s independent investigation, ensuring that those responsible for the failures leading to the tragedy are held to account.

Other measures include:

• Raising standards by consulting on a new College of Fire and Rescue later in 2025 to improve training and professionalism of firefighters.
• Stopping unqualified individuals from making critical fire safety decisions, by legally requiring fire risk assessors to have their competence certified.
• Continuing implementation of new Residential PEEPs policy to improve the fire safety and evacuation of disabled and vulnerable residents in high-rise and higher-risk residential buildings, engaging with relevant stakeholders on the implementation.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 20 February 2025.

Additional support confirmed for councils in exceptional difficulty to set balanced budgets. Long-term reform underway to fix foundations of local government.

Councils in exceptional need of help will today receive letters confirming government support to help balance their budgets.

30 councils in exceptional circumstances have been confirmed to receive support for the coming financial year to ensure delivery of vital public services, protecting vital community assets and promoting economic stability as committed to in the Plan for Change.

As part of this support package, for the first time additional expectations have been set out to protect treasured community assets, culture and identity, with councils using capitalisation instructed not to dispose of community and heritage assets.

Recognising the financial hardships facing the sector, earlier in the month, the government announced more than £69 billion for local government, a 6.8% cash terms increase in councils’ Core Spending Power on 2024-25 in the Final Local Government Finance Settlement. This included a new targeted £600 million Recovery Grant to help councils with greater need and demand for services.

Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE said:

We are under no illusion of the state of council finances and have been clear from the outset on our commitment to get councils back on their feet and rebuild the foundation of local government.

We are working with local leaders, encouraging councils to come in confidence where needed to seek help and be assured we will offer a relationship of partnership – not punishment – in our joint mission to improve public services for communities and create economic stability as set out in our Plan for Change.”

Our long-term commitment is to fix the foundations of local government, including reforming the outdated and inefficient funding model by bringing forward the first multi-year settlements in a decade, creating an updated and fit-for-purpose assessment of need and reforming the local audit system to provide transparency, security and stability to council finances.

However, there are councils in financial difficulty in need of immediate help, and a record number of councils have reached out to the government asking for Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) to help them balance their budgets this year.

The Exceptional Financial Support process has existed since 2020 to support councils facing unmanageable financial pressures. In line with the previous government’s approach, support is provided through a financial flexibility, known as capitalisation, where the government permits councils to treat revenue costs as capital costs and means councils can meet those costs using their existing borrowing powers or via capital receipts.

However, unlike previous years, where local leaders deem it necessary to borrow to support recovery, the government has removed the condition that made borrowing more expensive through a 1% premium. The government will instead work with councils on improvement and actions they can take to help manage their position to ensure value for taxpayer money.

To ensure financial stability and better outcomes for residents the government has consulted on how to best streamline the outdated funding model and distribute taxpayer’s money more fairly, based on an updated assessment of need, enabling every council to deliver high quality services to their communities.

As part of handing local leaders more power and control of their funding, the government will end outdated processes and bureaucracy of bidding for different funding pots and bring forward the first multi-year settlement in a decade in 2026-27 to provide certainty and economic security to councils setting budgets.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 17 February 2025.

Government seeks views of people in six areas on proposals to establish mayoral combined (county) authorities.

Consultations have been launched in six areas on proposals to establish mayoral combined authorities or mayoral combined county authorities as part of the government’s commitment to widen devolution.

The Devolution Priority Programme – one of the largest ever single packages of mayoral devolution in England – was launched earlier this month and will support the areas to move towards devolution at pace, becoming mayor-led strategic authorities by May next year if they proceed.

The government is now seeking views from interested parties, such as local residents, businesses, and public sector bodies.

Cumbria, Cheshire and Warrington, Norfolk and Suffolk, Greater Essex, Sussex and Brighton, and Hampshire and the Solent joined the Devolution Priority Programme earlier this month.

The consultations will consider questions such as the proposed geographies and how the mayoral combined (county) authorities will operate.

Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE MP said:

We are committed to shifting power out of Whitehall and into our regions, ensuring local leaders have the tools they need to tackle local priorities and realise their areas’ potential as part of our Plan for Change.

Our Devolution Priority Programme will deliver that power at pace and I encourage local residents to be part of our ‘devolution revolution’ by contributing to these consultations.

The Devolution Priority Programme will bridge the gap between the English Devolution White Paper and the forthcoming English Devolution Bill. The government is working towards mayoral elections in May 2026 for the areas that have joined it.

The easiest way to respond and engage in one of the consultations is via the relevant link below:

• Cumbria
• Cheshire and Warrington
• Norfolk and Suffolk
• Greater Essex
• Sussex and Brighton
• Hampshire and the Solent

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 17 February 2025.

The funding is the latest step in the Plan for Change to deliver economic growth across the country

Regional growth regeneration will get a much-needed boost as two major culture projects across Wales will receive £15 million funding to help boost growth and spark regional regeneration, the government confirmed today (17 February).

Funding will be ‘critical’ in showcasing the UK as a world-leader in culture and bring in visitors from across the globe.

Just as importantly this will help drive growth in all parts of the country – a key element of the government’s Plan for Change – by creating jobs and in some cases building new homes.

Projects in Wales receiving funding include:

• £10 million for Venue Cymru in Conwy, Wales, will upgrade the largest Welsh arts centre outside Cardiff and deliver a step-change in the use of the building, including the consideration of relocating the existing library and Tourist Information Centre to create a modern and innovative cultural hub.
• £5 million for Newport Transporter Bridge, Wales, that will fund vital repair and maintenance works to Newport Transporter Bridge, which plays a crucial role in the tourism economy as a visitor attraction in South Wales.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:

Every corner of the UK has something unique to offer, and our rich creative capital must not be underestimated.

Our Plan for Change promises growth for every region and I’ve seen first-hand how these projects are igniting growth in their communities.

Through investing in these critical cultural projects we can empower both local leaders and people to really tap into their potential and celebrate everything their home town has to offer. This means more tourism, more growth and more money in people’s pockets.”

Alex Norris, Minster for Local Growth said:

The benefits of these fantastic projects go far beyond community and county borders, they are key to unlocking a regional and nationwide celebration of UK culture and creativity as well as driving growth and regeneration.

This investment marks a huge step forward in our decade of national renewal as committed to in our Plan for Change – creating jobs and boosting tourism and regeneration in our regions is the type of long-term, sustainable growth the government is prioritising to ultimately put more money in people’s pockets.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

Venue Cymru and the Newport Transporter Bridge are iconic landmarks in their local communities, and I am delighted that this UK Government funding will be used to boost Wales’ already world-leading tourism and culture sectors.

Our investment in these two fantastic projects is an example of how our Plan for Change will lead to a decade of national renewal for people the length and breadth of Wales. This is a UK Government that is delivering regeneration and economic growth for every community.”

These projects will celebrate and raise awareness of the unique social value and cultural history of Wales while also supporting crucial economic growth through creating local jobs and attracting tourism on a national scale.

Projects that are most advanced and will see benefits spread beyond regional borders and attract investment have been prioritised to maximise public spending and deliver long-term growth.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 20 February 2025.

Growth in jobs, tourism and regional regeneration to be ushered in by funding for major cultural projects across the UK.

Regional growth and regeneration will get a much-needed boost as 10 major culture projects across the UK will receive more than £67 million, the government confirmed this week.

Funding will be ‘critical’ in showcasing the UK as a world-leader in culture and bring in visitors from across the globe.

Just as importantly this will help drive growth in all parts of the country – a key element of the government’s Plan for Change – by creating jobs and in some cases building new homes.

Projects receiving funding are:

• £15 million for the National Railway Museum in York, will go towards the construction of a new building, Central Hall, which will include a new entrance to the museum, a new gallery, retail, café, flexible event space and new visitor facilities. The museum is part of a wider mixed-use regeneration scheme in York to transform underused railway land into a new city quarter which could create more than 3,000 new homes, new office, retail and hospitality space, contributing to more than 6,000 new jobs and £1.6 billion in economic value to the region.
• £10 million to start the process of revamping ‘Temple Works’ in Leeds a derelict Grade 1 building, bringing it into public ownership; paving the way for it to house the British Library North in the future and unlock further regeneration of new housing and commercial development on surrounding sites.
• £10 million for the International Slavery Museum and the Maritime Museum in Liverpool, to expand and maintain the museums which play a crucial role in the wider reimagining of the Liverpool Waterfront.
• £5 million for the National Poetry Centre in Leeds that will renovate a redundant Grade 2 Listed building to create a national headquarters for poetry and bolster Leeds’ reputation as a regional centre for culture and creativity.
• £5 million for City Centre Cultural Gateway in Coventry, that will support the repurposing of the former IKEA building in Coventry city centre to become a new cultural and visitor attraction.
• £2.3 million to three cultural projects in Worcester, these three projects will deliver new cultural and public spaces around the Scala arts venue:
• A new Scala Co-Working Space will be created to provide an onsite office and studio space for artistic companies to create work.
• Two mezzanine floors of the Corn Exchange building will be brought back into use through the creation of Next Level Food which will provide a new space for more events and exhibitions and modern catering facilities will be
• A new welcoming social space for younger generations will be created through the Angel Place is Your Space hub
• £10 million for Venue Cymru in Conwy, Wales, will upgrade the largest Welsh arts centre outside Cardiff and deliver a step-change in the use of the building, including the relocation of the existing library and Tourist Information Centre to create a modern and innovative cultural hub.
• £5 million for Newport Transporter Bridge, Wales, that will fund vital repair and maintenance works to Newport Transporter Bridge, which plays a crucial role in the tourism economy as a visitor attraction in South Wales.
• £2.6 million for the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee, Scotland, that will expand and recurate the existing Scottish Design Galleries telling the story of Scottish design to create an improved destination and visitor experience.
• £2.2 million for Shore Road Skills Centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, that will see the redevelopment of the South Stand at the Crusaders FC into a unique state of the art community education, event and skills centre

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:

Every corner of the UK has something unique to offer, and our rich creative capital must not be underestimated.

Our Plan for Change promises growth for every region and I’ve seen first-hand how these projects are igniting growth in their communities.

Through investing in these critical cultural projects we can empower both local leaders and people to really tap into their potential and celebrate everything their home town has to offer. This means more tourism, more growth and more money in people’s pockets.”

Alex Norris, Minster for Local Growth, said:

The benefits of these fantastic projects go far beyond community and county borders, they are key to unlocking a regional and nationwide celebration of UK culture and creativity as well as driving growth and regeneration.

This investment marks a huge step forward in our decade of national renewal as committed to in our Plan for Change – creating jobs and boosting tourism and regeneration in our regions is the type of long-term, sustainable growth the government is prioritising to ultimately put more money in people’s pockets.”

Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said:

Everyone across the country should be able to access arts and culture in the place they call home. This support will empower our cultural organisations to continue playing an essential role in developing skills, talent and high-quality careers in every corner of the UK.”

These projects will celebrate and raise awareness of the unique social value and cultural history of the UK while also supporting crucial economic growth through creating local jobs and attracting tourism on a national scale.

Projects that are most advanced and will see benefits spread beyond regional borders and attract investment have been prioritised to maximise public spending and deliver long-term growth.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 12 February 2025.

£350 million invested to increase number of affordable and social homes, support home ownership and ease council housing pressures.

Thousands more people will be able to benefit from the security and safety of a high-quality home thanks to a £350 million injection to get Britain building, alongside plans to drive up standards and tackle rogue landlords in supported housing.

Up to 2,800 extra homes will be built through a £300 million boost to the Affordable Homes Programme, with half of these homes for social rent, and over 250 more council homes through a £50 million boost to the Local Authority Housing Fund to provide homes for those in need of better-quality temporary accommodation.

This supports plans to get Britain building and deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, turning the tide against the unacceptable housing crisis in this country. A generation have been locked out of owning their own home, while there are over 123,000 households in temporary accommodation, including nearly 160,000 children, and almost 6,000 families with children are in B&B accommodation.

Further changes will also be set out imminently by the government to help the most vulnerable in society, with a crack down on exploitative behaviour by rogue and criminal supported housing landlords, who are costing the taxpayer by claiming uncapped housing benefit in return for providing squalid homes for the most vulnerable, leaving them without the care or support they need.

This will further deliver on our Plan for Change commitment to get Britain building, delivering the 1.5 million homes this country needs, while boosting living standards.

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said:

“For so many families, and their children, the security and safety of a home of their own remains firmly out of reach – and instead they have to live in temporary accommodation, including in B&Bs.

“This is unacceptable and is the result of the housing crisis we are facing head on. That’s why we’re driving forward on our plans to ensure a better future for everyone who needs a safe home, building on our plans to drive up living standards and build 1.5 million homes through our Plan for Change.”

Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said:

“Today’s funding announcement demonstrates that the government recognises that boosting funding for new affordable homes, particularly those for social rent, is essential to meeting its ambitious housing targets and commitment to building a generation of new social homes.

“Housing associations share the government’s housing ambitions and we welcome this top-up to the Affordable Homes Programme. The funding announced today – in addition to the funding announced in the autumn – will help maintain momentum in the delivery of much needed social and affordable housing ahead of the new Affordable Homes Programme being announced at the Spending Review.

“Housing associations are facing a number of financial challenges due to decades of funding cuts. Alongside this vital funding injection, we hope to see a package of supportive measures at the upcoming Spending Review to enable the sector to build the homes our country needs.”

Gavin Smart, Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Housing, said:

“The housing crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing the country, and we know that increasing the supply of truly affordable homes is key to tackling homelessness, easing pressure on local authorities, and driving economic growth. This additional investment into affordable housing is therefore very welcome and will help support the delivery of much-needed affordable homes ahead of a new Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) at the forthcoming Spending Review.

“The confirmation that 50% of the additional investment in the AHP will be used to support building new homes at social rent is particularly welcome as these are the most affordable and needed. Expanding the Local Housing Fund will help local authorities respond to the huge rise in the need for temporary accommodation which has put huge pressure on council funds and made life very difficult for some of the most vulnerable. Going forward, we hope the government will use the next fiscal update to confirm sustained, long-term investment to meet the scale of demand and ensure everyone has access to a safe, secure, and affordable home.

“We also welcome confirmation of action to implement the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act. It is right that the government moves to clamp down on a small minority of exploitative supported housing landlords who are providing unacceptable poor homes to vulnerable people. We look forward to seeing more details here and to working with government, housing providers, and local authorities to ensure these commitments translate into real change on the ground.”

The boost follows on from the £500 million investment at the Budget for up to 5,000 more homes affordable homes, further backing the programme’s original £11.5 billion which is expected to result in up to 130,000 homes by 2026, and the £450 million already provided to 150 councils across the country to help ease pressure on homelessness services, reduce spending on unsuitable B&B accommodation, and provide safe and sustainable housing.

The investment will support a mix of tenures, with a focus on delivering homes for social rent.

Alongside the £50 million increase to the Local Authority Housing Fund, approximately £30 million of funding is being reallocated from previous rounds, taking the number of houses that will be delivered by the third round to more than 2,700 homes. Councils that submitted applications will be contacted in the following few days to inform them of the funding allocations.

The government will imminently set out plans to crack down on exploitative behaviour by rogue and criminal supported housing landlords who are costing the taxpayer by claiming uncapped housing benefit in return for providing squalid homes for some of the most vulnerable, leaving them without the care or support they need.

These plans respond to horrendous cases, including criminal gangs buying large properties and putting vulnerable people in mouldy rooms with just a bed, then providing no care, and other cases where rape victims have been housed with sex offenders. In areas like Blackpool, Birmingham, Blackburn and Hull whole streets have been overcome with open drug use and anti-social behaviour. A new licensing scheme, tougher standards, and the ability to stop housing benefit going to rogue landlords are all part of the plan, to be unveiled next week.

This supports wider work to improve housing for millions of working people across the country, and builds on the commitment to change the way homes are bought and sold, saving them time and money by modernising the way the system works and helping stop property transactions falling through.

To get Britain building, the government has already:

• Launched a New Homes Accelerator to unblock thousands of homes stuck in the planning system.
• Set up an independent New Towns Taskforce, as part of a long-term vision to create large-scale communities of at least 10,000 new homes each.
• Awarded £68 million to 54 local councils to unlock housing on brownfield sites.
• Awarded £47 million to seven councils to unlock homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules.
• Announced an additional £3 billion in housing guarantees to help builders apply for more accessible loans from banks and lenders.
• Extended the existing Home Building Fund for next year providing up to £700 million of vital support to SME housebuilders, delivering an additional 12,000 new homes.
• Cutting red tape so up to 10,000 more apprentices will be able to qualify per year including in key industries like construction

Further information:

Further details of future investment beyond the current Affordable Homes Programme will be set out at the upcoming Spending Review to support greater investment in new affordable housing from social housing providers.

The Supported Housing reforms implement measures in the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act, and improve the quality in supported housing and ensure people receive the right support for them, in a good quality home.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 10 February 2025.

Former Cabinet Secretary Dr Simon Case has been appointed independent Chair of the Barrow Delivery Board, the government announced today (Monday, Feb 10).

Dr Case brings a wealth of leadership experience to the role after a long career in the Civil Service.

The Delivery Board will deliver the Barrow Transformation Fund, a £200m government package to deepen and develop Barrow’s crucial role at the heart of UK national security and nuclear submarine-building, overseen by the Defence Nuclear Enterprise.

It forms part of the Plan for Barrow, which aims to strengthen the local economy, support sustainable growth and boost opportunities for residents.

Minister for Local Growth and Building Safety Alex Norris said:

Barrow lies at the heart of our defence industry, and the nuclear submarines produced there play a crucial role in keeping Britain safe. We are committed to building on Barrow’s incredible strengths and making sure local people benefit from the town’s development.

Simon Case is ideally placed to chair the Delivery Board and oversee the delivery of £200m of funding to tackle local priorities, taking Barrow towards an exciting future. He will ensure Barrow’s place in our national Plan for Change – because what’s best for Barrow is best for the country.

Dr Case said:

I’m delighted to be appointed Chair and take on this important role. Barrow is critical to our national security; there’s nowhere else in the country with the unique set of skills and supporting infrastructure required to deliver complex nuclear submarines, so it’s vital we invest now to sustain this capability.

Barrow is a fantastic town and the Government’s long-term commitment to the UK’s submarine programme means it has an exciting future, but it’s not without its challenges. Our task is to address these, turn ambition into reality and help transform Barrow into a place where people choose to live, work and thrive.

The government is committed to growing the economy, strengthening national security and supporting our communities as part of the Plan for Change.

Barrow’s contribution to maintaining and renewing the UK’s nuclear deterrent has been built up over many years – often by multiple generations of the same families as part of a truly national endeavour. The government’s tailored Transformation Fund will build on these historic strengths and ensure the town’s full potential is realised.

Dr Case’s appointment was confirmed by Minister Norris in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament today. The Delivery Board will meet in March to make its first spending decisions. This funding will bring transformational and long-lasting change to Barrow across areas including transport, education, employment, skills, health, equity and wellbeing.

Dr Case previously acted as Chair of the Board on an interim basis, as part of his role as Cabinet Secretary.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 9 February 2025.

Major new plans to modernise home buying and selling to save people time and money and further measures to improve the lives of leaseholders.

Millions of people are set to benefit from improvements to the way homes are bought and sold, saving them both time and money by helping stop property transactions from falling through.

Under major new plans, the government has announced today [February 9] it will modernise the way the process works to bring down current delays of almost five months. One of the key reasons the buying and selling process can be long and frustrating is a lack of digitalisation and join up in the sector, which is why the government is opening up key property information, ensuring this data can be shared between trusted professionals more easily, and driving forward plans for digital identity services to slash transaction times.

These reforms will make home buying fit for the 21st Century and give much-needed certainty to everyone involved in property transactions, with one million taking place in the UK every year. By making information available at people’s fingertips, it will be far less likely for surprises to be encountered later on in the process. This will make it easier for people to get onto the housing ladder, reduce the requirement to share ID in-person in the long-term, and decrease the number of transactions collapsing.

Currently, fall throughs – which impact one in three transactions – cost people around £400 million a year, on top of the four million working days lost by conveyancers and estate agents alone which is equivalent to £1 billion. By bringing the process into the digital age, and learning from success stories such as Norway where transactions complete in around one month, the government is putting more money into the pockets of hardworking people and delivering on our Plan for Change to grow the economy.

Meanwhile changes to improve the lives of leaseholders – who have already achieved the dream of homeownership but found it falls short of what they were promised – will also be introduced from next week, with secondary legislation for the Right to Manage measures in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 being laid tomorrow – ahead of the schedule the government committed to last year.

These changes, which will come into force on 3rd March, will empower more leaseholders to take control of their buildings more easily, giving them power over how their service charges are spent, and removing the requirement for leaseholders to cover the legal fees of their freeholder when making a Right to Manage claim – potentially saving them up to £3,000 for the most costly claims, and reducing the incentive for landlords to obstruct the process.

Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said:

“We are streamlining the cumbersome home buying process so that it is fit for the twenty-first century, helping homebuyers save money, gain time and reduce stress while also cutting the number of house sales that fall through.

“Our modernisation of the system sits alongside further reforms to improve the lives of leasehold homeowners across the country, allowing them to more easily and cheaply take control of the buildings they live in and clamp down on unreasonable or extortionate charges.

“These reforms build on the government’s Plan for Change to deliver higher living standards and 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament, and our ongoing efforts to protect leaseholders suffering from unfair and unreasonable practices as we work to end the feudal leasehold system for good.”

Currently, information such as building control and highways information is predominantly paper-based or recorded in non-machine-readable formats. On top of this, where data is available electronically, there are not established protocols for accessing, sharing and verifying that data which leads to more delays.

But under a fully digitalised home buying and selling process, the information key parties need – from mortgage companies to surveyors – will be within reach immediately, with the necessary identity checks carried out once. Clear information early on will mean there are no surprises late on in the transaction which might cause it to fall through, so instead the transaction is completed smoothly without unnecessary time, energy or money spent.

That’s why the department is working hand-in-hand with the property market, supported by HM Land Registry (HMLR), and is today announcing a 12-week project to identify the design and implementation of agreed rules on data for the sector, so that it can easily be shared between conveyancers, lenders and other parties involved in a transaction. HMLR will also build on its work in digitising property information and lead 10-month pilots with a number of councils to identify the best approach to opening up more of their data and making it digital, whilst the government pushes ahead with plans for digital identity verification services including in the property sector.

This will all be carried out in conjunction with the Digital Property Market Steering Group – a collection of industry and government experts committed to digitalising the home buying and selling process and delivering this change.

The government has already:

• Launched a New Homes Accelerator to unblock thousands of homes stuck in the planning system.
• Set up an independent New Towns Taskforce, as part of a long-term vision to create large-scale communities of at least 10,000 new homes each.
• Awarded £68 million to 54 local councils to unlock housing on brownfield sites.
• Awarded £47 million to seven councils to unlock homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules.
• Announced an additional £3 billion in housing guarantees to help builders apply for more accessible loans from banks and lenders.
• Extended the existing Home Building Fund for next year providing up to £700 million of vital support to SME housebuilders, delivering an additional 12,000 new homes.

Notes to editors:

• More than 300,000 property transactions fall through in the UK every year at a cost to sellers of £400 million, according to a survey commissioned by the HomeOwners Alliance (HOA) and online homebuyer IMMO.co.uk in 2018.
• Almost a third of adults surveyed by the Homeowners Alliance in 2024, when asked how the conveyancing process could be improved, said it should be faster.
• MHCLG has recently taken over the chairing of the Digital Property Market Steering Group. The group consists of organisations that represent the various professions involved in the buying and selling process and is committed to driving digitalisation of the home buying and selling system.
• Right to Manage is the only way for leaseholders to take back control over extortionate fees and mismanagement of their homes, without being forced to buy the freehold.
• The Right to Manage Statutory Instrument will be laid in parliament on Monday, and will come in to effect from 3rd March 2025