The Government’s policy on social housing rent increases, and the rent settlement it puts in place to implement this, are the basis of the social housing sector’s finances. It is undoubtedly the case that uncertainty about future rental income makes business planning more difficult. Sudden changes to planned rental income, such as the Government’s decisions to rescind the planned index linked permitted rent increases and cap permitted rent increases below inflation, caused an increased level of uncertainty and required unplanned business changes for the sector. Rent certainty, particularly for the long term, is greatly valued by private finance and housing providers alike.