Recommendations & Conclusions
59 items
1
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Deferred
Most social homes provide tenants with warm, safe and decent places to live. The prevalence of poor conditions across the sector is generally lower than in other tenures. However, progress at bringing all social homes up to a minimum standard of decency has almost ground to a halt, with very …
Government response. The government will set out wider plans for housing in the Long-Term Housing Strategy, which they will publish shortly, bringing together many of the changes that they have already announced and providing long-term certainty on future regulatory requirements.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
2
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted
We support the Government’s plans to raise the standard of social homes over the next decade, while boosting supply. These actions will go some way to improving the quality and safety of social homes. However, the Government’s plans do not address some of the long-term systemic drivers of poor conditions, …
Government response. The government states that Phase 1 of Awaab's Law came into force on 27 October 2025, and they are working closely with stakeholders on next steps for phases 2 and 3.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
3
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted
The Long-term Housing Strategy must put in place a long-term approach for improving and maintaining social homes and addressing the systemic drivers of poor housing quality, especially a long-term approach to the regeneration of existing social homes. We reiterate our call for the Government to publish this strategy as soon …
Government response. The government published a five-step plan including a new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, £2.5 billion in low-interest loans, and an extension of the 'preferential' borrowing rate.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
4
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Not Addressed
We agree with the Government’s decision to rollout Awaab’s Law in phases, focusing on tackling the most dangerous hazards first. There are risks that efforts to comply with these regulations result in providers diverting resources away from the services they provide to more vulnerable tenants. There is also a risk …
Government response. The government's response focuses on the new Fuel Poverty Strategy, energy affordability, and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for social housing, but doesn't address the risks of diverting resources or inconsistent application of Awaab's Law.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
5
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Acknowledged
Even though social landlords have been anticipating the introduction of Awaab’s Law for some time, the way the Government managed the introduction of Phase 1 unnecessarily added to the uncertainty and complexity providers had to grapple with to ensure they were ready to comply. We are disappointed that the final …
Government response. The government responded to its consultation on an updated Decent Homes Standard, designed to meet modern expectations of housing quality and provides certainty to plan and spread costs long-term with a deadline of 2035.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
6
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Deferred
The Government must urgently set and publish the timeline for extending Awaab’s Law to all remaining hazards, so that tenants and social landlords have clarity about when they can expect these new regulations to apply. This should be produced no later than 1st March 2026 to enable social housing providers …
Government response. The Government will work with sector bodies to agree a compact, overseen by a taskforce, but provides no specific timeline for extending Awaab's Law to all remaining hazards.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
7
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Acknowledged
Progress at retrofitting social homes needs to accelerate if the sector is going to upgrade the remaining homes up to the required standard by 2030. The Government has not yet provided sufficient clarity to the sector on the funding available for retrofits over the Parliament. (Conclusion, Paragraph 39)
Government response. The government states it is focused on delivering transformational change and rebuilding financial capacity, but does not specifically address the lack of clarity on retrofit funding.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
8
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Acknowledged
The Government needs to urgently provide the sector with clarity on the funding that will be available over the remainder of this Parliament to help providers deliver the necessary improvements. (Recommendation, Paragraph 40)
Government response. The government states that the Regulator of Social Housing has introduced a new consumer regulation regime and is committed to developing detailed guidance on the revised Decent Homes Standard, but provides no specific details on funding.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
9
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Not Addressed
High energy costs mean that even tenants living in homes that have undergone energy efficiency improvements can struggle to afford to heat their homes sufficiently. The higher the standard of works, the greater the benefit. While we support the Government’s plans to bring all social homes up to a minimum …
Government response. The government response discusses the statutory New Homes Ombudsman scheme and the Housing Ombudsman but does not address how to ensure people can afford to heat homes even with energy efficiency improvements.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
10
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted in Part
In the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy, we recommend that the Government revise the official definition of fuel poverty to reflect the fact that those living in homes compliant with the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard may still struggle to heat their homes sufficiently. (Recommendation, Paragraph 43)
Government response. The government will not revise the official definition of fuel poverty, but will place a stronger emphasis on energy affordability with a new affordability indicator, and will report annually on average required energy costs as a proportion of household income.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
11
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted
We welcome the Government’s changes to the Decent Homes Standard. The current standard has been out-of-date for some time and is in urgent need of reform, given that it was last updated in 2006. (Conclusion, Paragraph 48)
Government response. The government responded to its consultation on an updated and modernised Decent Homes Standard and aims to drive down rates of non-decency across the country and support landlords.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
12
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Acknowledged
The Government must introduce a process to periodically review and, if necessary, update the Decent Homes Standard at least every 10 years to ensure it reflects the changing needs of the population, environmental pressures, scientific evidence of the hazards to health from poor housing and societal expectations of what a …
Government response. The government responded to its consultation on an updated Decent Homes Standard, designed to meet modern expectations of housing quality and provides certainty to plan and spread costs long-term with a deadline of 2035.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
13
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Deferred
The Government’s long implementation date for the revised Decent Homes Standard eases the burden on providers, but fails to deliver improvements with the urgency that social tenants deserve. Too many tenants will remain in poor quality, unsafe homes for too long under the implementation date that the Government has set. …
Government response. The government will work with sector bodies to agree a compact overseen by a taskforce, which will focus on social and affordable housebuilding commitments and strengthened governance.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
14
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Deferred
The Government must put in place interim targets to demonstrate to tenants and the public that progress is being made. We recommend that the Government introduce interim targets stipulating the percentage of social homes that should be upgraded to the revised Decent Homes Standard in each year before the final …
Government response. The Government will work with sector bodies to agree a compact, overseen by a taskforce, but provides no commitment to interim targets.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
15
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted
While we welcome the steps the Government has taken to rebuild the sector’s financial capacity, a lot of the extra rental income social landlords receive could be absorbed by the new compliance costs placed on them, thereby limiting their ability to invest in new social homes. Even with the Government’s …
Government response. The government highlights existing programmes and investments aimed at improving the safety, quality, and supply of social housing, including rent policy, building safety funding, low-interest loans, and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
16
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted
There is a real risk that the costs of new regulatory requirements may lead to an increase in social landlords choosing to sell homes that have reached, or are approaching, the end of their intended lifespan, at a time when social housing is desperately needed. We welcome the changes to …
Government response. The government highlights existing programmes and investments aimed at improving the safety, quality, and supply of social housing, including rent policy, building safety funding, low-interest loans, and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
17
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted
The Government must publish an assessment of the cumulative impact the new regulatory requirements are likely to have on the supply of social homes over the next decade. This assessment should consider how the cumulative costs of the new regulatory requirements are likely to impact the sector’s ability to invest …
Government response. The government claims the Decent Homes Standard Final Impact Assessment and social housing MEES Impact Assessment already set out potential impacts on the supply of new social housing.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
18
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Acknowledged
The steps the Government is taking to rebuild the sector’s financial capacity to invest in new and existing homes will help providers to meet new regulatory standards. However, we are concerned that supply chain constraints, workforce shortages and the limited uptake of technologies will mean that providers may not have …
Government response. The government acknowledges the need for a skilled supply chain and is working with the industry to provide training opportunities and build a diverse workforce, but provides no specific commitments.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
19
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted
There is a strong case for the Government to establish a new, modern Decent Homes Programme that supports social landlords to raise the standard of social homes. This programme should consist of: a. a single housing quality framework or strategy that consolidates, and aligns, the regulatory requirements on social landlords. …
Government response. The government states that the Regulator of Social Housing has introduced a new consumer regulation regime, details its commitment to grant funding, and highlights its work with the industry to provide high-quality training opportunities.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
20
Conclusion
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Accepted
It is vital that there are robust measures of redress in place to resolve disputes about the quality of newly built social homes. (Conclusion, Paragraph 76)
Government response. The government states it remains committed to implementing a statutory New Homes Ombudsman scheme and that social housing tenants can already access support from the Housing Ombudsman.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
21
Recommendation
4th Report – Housing Conditions in the …
Acknowledged
In response to this report, the Government must set out the timeframe for creating a statutory, UK-wide New Homes Ombudsman and the details of the mandatory consumer code developers will need to abide by. (Recommendation, Paragraph 77) 49
Government response. The government remains committed to implementing a statutory New Homes Ombudsman scheme, but provides no timeframe or details of the consumer code.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
1
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
Much of the evidence we received supports the conclusion that temporary accommodation is often so poor as to be unfit for human habitation. However, the absence of official statistics on the physical condition and quality of temporary accommodation means it is not possible to establish the prevalence and severity of …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
2
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We recommend that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government use the English Housing Survey to routinely collect and publish national data on the quality of all types of temporary accommodation from 2027/28 onwards. (Recommendation, Paragraph 15) Hazards and disrepair
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
3
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We welcome the Government’s decision to apply the new Decent Homes Standard to temporary accommodation. A national minimum standard covering all temporary accommodation will help to raise the quality of accommodation provided. However, while we recognise the need for an implementation period, we are concerned that the Government has not …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
4
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We recommend that the Government set interim targets for the proportion of temporary accommodation that is upgraded to comply with the new Decent Homes Standard before the final implementation date in 2035. These should align with interim targets set for the wider private rented sector. (Recommendation, Paragraph 23)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
5
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The government’s plans to extend Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard to temporary accommodation will provide households with stronger protections against hazards and disrepair. However, while we wait for these reforms, the government should focus on ensuring that the protections that already exist are working effectively. This includes ensuring …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
6
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The government must require local authorities to carry-out mandatory inspections before properties are first used as temporary accommodation, ahead of new households moving in and periodically thereafter. As we mentioned in our last report, the government should provide additional funding, in line with the new burdens doctrine, to local authorities …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
7
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We welcome the government’s intention to apply Awaab’s Law to temporary accommodation. The power to take legal action against their provider for failing to resolve serious hazards in a timely manner will substantially strengthen the protections that exist for people living in temporary accommodation. However, a phased rollout is advisable …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
8
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The government should begin to rollout Awaab’s Law urgently to ensure the regulations are fully applied to temporary accommodation by the end of 2028/29. By then, legal timescales must be in place covering all applicable significant and emergency hazards covered by the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System. (Recommendation, Paragraph …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
9
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We are deeply concerned about the lack of space provided to some families living in temporary accommodation and the potentially harmful effects this can have on children’s safety, wellbeing and development. The standards used to determine if homes are statutorily overcrowded are out- of-date and do not reflect the harms …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
10
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The government must require all local authorities funded to carry out local audits to assess, and report on, the suitability of the space provided to households in different types of temporary accommodation and the impact the availability of this space has on children. The government should fund further audits, if …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
11
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We agree with the government’s decision to prioritise eliminating the unlawful use of B&B accommodation by the end of the Parliament. The government and councils have made good progress at reducing the number of families living in B&B accommodation longer than six weeks. However, to deliver the government’s national target …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
12
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The government must ensure that there are effective sanctions in place for local authorities who repeatedly breach the six-week limit and who are not taking reasonable steps to eliminate their use of B&Bs by the end of the Parliament. The government should publicly name councils who are unwilling to take …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
13
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We remain concerned that the definition of B&B in the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) Order 2003 does not prevent families being placed in similar accommodation, without any restrictions on the time local authorities can house them there. We recognise that the availability of support in council-owned or voluntary sector …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
14
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We reiterate our earlier recommendation that the ministry must amend the definition of B&B accommodation in the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) (England) Order 2003 to restrict the placement of families in other types of accommodation with shared facilities to a maximum of six weeks. (Recommendation, Paragraph 51)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
15
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The ministry must require councils to report publicly on the length of time households remain in such facilities and justify any decision to keep households in these facilities beyond six-weeks. By the end of this year, the ministry must publish a clear 10-year plan to phase out the use of …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
16
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We remain concerned that there is no explicit rule to prevent or restrict councils from housing families, including single mothers with children, in accommodation where they need to share facilities with single male adults. (Conclusion, Paragraph 55)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
17
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The ministry must update the statutory guidance to make clear that placing families in accommodation where the need to share facilities with single male adults is not suitable and should work with councils to bring such placements to an end. (Recommendation, Paragraph 56) Lack of basic facilities and furnishings
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
18
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
It is not acceptable for households in temporary accommodation to be left living for months, if not longer, without access to the basic facilities they need for daily life. The ministry must introduce further measures to improve households’ access to basic facilities, such as kitchens, washing machines and basic furnishings. …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
19
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We welcome the government’s decision to apply the Decent Homes Standard to temporary accommodation. However, we are concerned that the standard will not guarantee people housed in some types of temporary accommodation access to the basic facilities, such as a kitchen, that they need for daily life. (Conclusion, Paragraph 64)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
20
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We recommend that the Secretary of State amend the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) Order 2003 to extend the six-week limit to accommodation that cannot comply with the new Decent Homes Standard. The six-week limit should apply from the date that the new standard comes into force in 2035. The ministry …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
21
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We are alarmed to hear of people with physical disabilities, medical conditions and other complex needs being placed in accommodation that is unsuitable for them. Part of the solution to this problem is improving the quality of supply available locally. In the short-term, however, this is another reason why mandatory …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
22
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The government must require local authorities to conduct mandatory inspections before placing households in temporary accommodation to determine that the accommodation they have arranged adequately caters for people’s physical and medical needs. The Government should also strengthen the statutory guidance for local authorities on the arrangements that should be put …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
23
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The ministry should require councils to forecast demand for people with complex needs as part of their action plans to highlight where there are gaps in provision and demonstrate how the funds allocated through the Local Authority Housing Fund are being used to fill gaps in available provision. The Government …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
24
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
In response to this report, we request an update on the options the Government is considering to increase the supply of good-quality supported housing, as part of the Chief Secretary of the Treasury’s review. (Recommendation, Paragraph 75) Managing and improving the supply of temporary accommodation
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
25
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The rules that determine the amount of money councils can claim through the Housing Benefit subsidy system is restricting their ability to source good-quality temporary accommodation for households. The Department for Work and Pension’s ongoing freeze of the subsidy rates is putting an enormous financial strain on councils. The freeze …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
26
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We recommend that the Department for Work and Pensions unfreeze the subsidy rates by increasing the rate councils are reimbursed to match the current Local Housing Allowance rate. We also recommend that the Government conduct a detailed review of the subsidy rules to ensure they incentivise councils to source good-quality …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
27
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
Competition between local authorities and other public bodies drives up the costs of temporary accommodation and restricts the ability of local authorities to raise standards locally. We are pleased that the ministry is working with the Home Office to test ways to reduce competition between public bodies for residential accommodation. …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
28
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
In response to this report, the ministry should provide us with an update on the work it is undertaking to test locally-led approaches to reduce competition between public bodies and state when, and how, it intends to roll these out more widely. (Recommendation, Paragraph 87)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
29
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We are concerned about councils’ increasing reliance on privately managed, nightly-paid accommodation. This provision is not merely expensive. The use of nightly-paid accommodation limits councils’ ability to raise standards and offers little stability to households who are at risk of being moved at short notice. (Conclusion, Paragraph 90)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
30
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The government must require local authorities in their action plans to set out how they plan to reduce their reliance on nightly-paid accommodation and provide updates on their progress. The government should also work with local authorities to understand the barriers that are preventing councils from entering longer-term arrangements with …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
31
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We remained concerned the government’s decision to freeze the Local Housing Allowance is contributing to more people being more at risk of homelessness and in need of temporary accommodation. The freeze also makes it difficult for councils to help households find a permanent home they can afford. (Conclusion, Paragraph 93) …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
32
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We recommend that the Government restore the Local Housing Allowance rates to 30th percentile. (Recommendation, Paragraph 94)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
33
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We agree with the government that some degree of temporary accommodation will always be needed as a safety net and that this accommodation must provide households who need it with a decent, safe and stable place to live while they find a more permanent home. It is critical that the …
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
34
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
The ministry should require local authorities in their action plans to forecast future demand for temporary accommodation locally and set out a 10- year plan for delivering a sustainable supply of good-quality temporary accommodation that is decent, safe and stable. (Recommendation, Paragraph 100)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
35
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We welcome the extra funding the Government has provided through the Local Authority Housing Fund to help councils increase the supply of temporary accommodation. However, boosting the supply of affordable homes, especially social housing, is critical to alleviating the crisis in temporary accommodation. (Conclusion, Paragraph 101)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
36
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We recommend that the government set out how they plan to prioritise bids for grant funding through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, including how they will take into account value for money. (Recommendation, Paragraph 102)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
37
Conclusion
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
We welcome the efforts that the ministry is taking to improve the physical condition of temporary accommodation. However, if providers choose to sell properties that are too costly to upgrade or try to take advantage of regulatory gaps between tenures, these efforts could adversely impact supply. (Conclusion, Paragraph 105)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
38
Recommendation
5th Report - Housing Conditions in Temp…
Alongside the first update on the progress of the National Plan to End Homelessness, we recommend that the ministry publish an assessment of the cumulative impact the interventions to raise standards could have on the supply of temporary accommodation. (Recommendation, Paragraph 106) 67
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government