The finances and sustainability of the social housing sector

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 28 Mar 2023 Closed: 28 May 2024 Parliament page
This inquiry seeks to examine the finances and sustainability of the social housing sector in England. In recent years the financial pressures for social landlords have increased as they face the demands of building new homes, retrofitting existing stock to improve energy efficiency, remediating stock with cladding and other building … Read more
21 Recommendations
13 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
7 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 18 events
7 Mar
2025
Report published
28 Nov
2024
Report published
8 May
2024
Report published
22 Jan
2024
Oral evidence
22 Jan
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
17 Jan
2024
Correspondence
17 Jan
2024
Correspondence
13 Dec
2023
Correspondence
8 Nov
2023
Correspondence
12 Sep
2023
Correspondence
12 Sep
2023
Correspondence
11 Sep
2023
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
22 Jan 2024
View on parliament.uk
Oral Evidence
Bernadette Conroy · Regulator of Social Housing Jonathan Walters · Regulator of Social Housing Peter Denton · Homes England Shahi Islam · Homes England The Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
11 Sep 2023
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Oral Evidence
Dave Meseck · DMG Eco Felix Ejgel · S&P Global Ratings Gemma Bourne · Big Society Capital Neil Brown · Inclusion Group Simon Century · Legal and General Steve Collins · Rentplus-UK
19 Jun 2023
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Oral Evidence
Conrad Hall · Newham Council Councillor Pippa Heylings · Local Government Association Deborah Heenan · Populo Jamie Kellett · abrdn John Marr · UK Finance Kathryn Jones · Dudley Council Michael Scorer · Southwark Council Piers Williamson · The Housing Finance Corporation
12 Jun 2023
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Oral Evidence
Fiona Fletcher Smith · G15 James Prestwich · Chartered Institute of Housing Kate Henderson · National Housing Federation Kate Wareing · Soha Housing Paul Fiddaman · Karbon Homes Professor Tony Crook · University of Sheffield
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - The Finances and Sustainability of the Social Hou… HC 60 8 May 2024 34 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
3 Recommendation Deferred
Sixth Report - The Finances and Su…
Deliver sufficient grant funding and urgently release next Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund tranches.
Making social housing more energy efficient is crucial for the country’s decarbonisation goals, but, of course, it is also a significant cost for social housing providers. Because energy efficiency improvements do not return savings to social housing providers or private … Read more
Government Response
The government's response discusses the regulator's standards concerning tenant engagement, fairness, and security of tenure during regeneration projects. It does not address the recommendation for increased grant funding for social housing decarbonisation or the urgent release of Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund tranches.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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4 Conclusion Deferred
Sixth Report - The Finances and Su…
Review the potential role of private equity investment in social housing decarbonisation.
Noting that the role of private investment in decarbonisation has so far been limited, we encourage the Government to review what role private investment might play in meeting net zero, noting the advice from witnesses that this could involve the … Read more
Government Response
The government's response discusses the importance of providers explaining regeneration projects to tenants and ensuring their views are considered, referencing existing governance standards and tenant satisfaction measures. It does not address the recommendation to review the role of private investment in social housing decarbonisation.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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5 Recommendation Deferred
Sixth Report - The Finances and Su…
Publish longer-term funding plans for social housing retrofitting and private investment beyond 2025.
We also reaffirm the conclusion of our Local Government and Net Zero report that the Government should set out its longer-term funding plans beyond 2025, and to encourage and outline the share of funding for retrofitting it anticipates will come … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the importance of understanding and scrutinising the for-profit social housing sector, outlining actions like recruiting specialist staff and undertaking a 2024-25 review of its knowledge. It does not, however, commit to setting out longer-term funding plans for retrofitting beyond 2025 or investigating new sources of private financing for this purpose.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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Government Response AI assessment · 20 of 21 classified
Accepted 11
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 3
Rejected 2
Total 21 recs + 13 conclusions
Correspondence 7 letters
17 Jan 2024 To committee Letter from Minister Rowley to the Chair dated 16 January 2024 concerning giving evidence on the finances and sustainability of the social housing sector inquiry
Parliament page
17 Jan 2024 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Housing Minister dated 15 January 2024 concerning giving evidence on the finances and sustainability of the social housing sector
Parliament page
13 Dec 2023 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Housing Minister dated 5 December 2023 concerning the finances and sustainability of the social housing sector
Parliament page
8 Nov 2023 To committee Letter from Rentplus concerning follow-up from the Committee’s session on 11 September on finances and sustainability of the social housing sector, dated 25 September 2023
Parliament page
12 Sep 2023 To committee Letter from National Housing Federation, G15, Karbon Homes and Soha Housing to the Chair dated 10 August 2023 concerning housing associations’ surpluses
Parliament page
12 Sep 2023 To committee Letter from Sage Homes to the Chair dated 24 July 2023 concerning finances of social housing
Parliament page
27 Jun 2023 To committee Letter from Rentplus to the Chair dated 21 June 2023 concerning the Rent to Buy model of home ownership
Parliament page