Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Action Planned (AI summary) The NFCC is working with Humberside Fire and Rescue Service to share learning from the incident via the NFCC Organisational Learning platform. The letter also states that the Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will be made aware of comments concerning rights of access for ambulance personnel. The National Police Chiefs Council has established a group to review and track coroner’s reports relating to the application of Right Care, Right Person, and any learning will be disseminated and policy amended as needed.

Action Planned (AI summary) The MHCLG response focuses on the government's broader efforts to increase social housing supply, tackle homelessness, and address rogue practices like cuckooing, including a new offence in the Crime and Policing Bill. They also mention publishing good practice case studies to support landlords dealing with antisocial behaviour and efforts to improve mental health care, but does not describe specific actions directly responsive to the case.

Action Planned (AI summary) The Ministry is working to deliver the Renters (Reform) Bill which will abolish section 21 evictions, is increasing funding for homelessness services and is chairing an Inter-Ministerial Group focused on developing a long-term strategy to get back on track to ending homelessness. It is also delivering 1.5 million new homes and administering the Local Authority Housing Fund.

Action Planned (AI summary) MoJ and MHCLG are working on a long-term strategy to end homelessness, including for prison leavers, with publication expected next year. Funding for homelessness services is increasing, and MHCLG will promote a partnership approach to statutory referrals and information sharing.

Action Planned (AI summary) The MHCLG will write to the local authorities concerned to remind them of their statutory duties, and the government will bring forward changes to social housing allocations regulations to apply exemptions to victims of domestic abuse from local authority residency and local connection tests.

Action Planned (AI summary) Peabody has implemented emergency temporary fencing and developed proposals for permanent safety railings at the canal edge, while working with the London Borough of Islington and CRT/CIC for required approvals. They have also strengthened internal policies and procedures relating to resident safety and reporting concerns. Islington Council is working with Peabody on a planning application for safety fencing around the canal side area of the Crest Buildings development. Urban design lessons from this incident have been shared with Development Management Officers, and a planning application for another canal side residential development includes fencing. The Mayor of London will consider the concerns raised in the PFD report through his review of the London Plan, with public consultation planned for the second half of 2025 and adoption of the revised Plan in 2027. Any changes made to the NPPF by the government will also be considered. The government published an updated NPPF on 12 December 2024 that includes additional policy to consider the safety of children and other vulnerable users in proximity to open water, railways and other potential hazards.

Action Planned (AI summary) The Ministry acknowledges concerns about the social housing bidding process and availability of social housing. They state they have increased flexibilities on how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts. They confirmed £450 million investment in councils across England under the third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund. They are committed to introducing Awaab’s Law to the social rented sector.

Action Planned (AI summary) The Ministry highlights existing powers for local authorities regarding planning enforcement and building regulations. They plan to introduce stronger enforcement powers as part of planning system reforms and are consulting on proposals to mandate and improve smoke alarms in rented homes.

Action Planned (AI summary) The MHRA sought advice from the UK Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) on a range of areas to support the effective and safe use of AAIs. The AAI EWG recommended a number of other measures including reinforcement of the need for all patients at risk of anaphylaxis to carry two AAIs at all times. The FSA is undertaking consumer research to gather information and insights from people with food allergies and is considering the benefits of developing a food allergy safety scheme for allergen management within food businesses. They are supporting businesses to prepare for new allergen labelling rules coming into effect on 1st October 2021. The FSA is establishing a way for people to directly report information regarding anaphylactic reactions caused by food allergies that do not result in death. The MHRA is considering making AAI devices more widely available for use in exceptional, emergency situations.

Action Planned (AI summary) The department will raise the concern that the statutory minimum provision of smoke alarms is less than the maximum offered in British Standard 5839 with the relevant committee at the British Standards Institute for consideration, as part of a full technical review of the standards that support building regulations.

Action Planned (AI summary) The BBSA, working with Trading Standards and RoSPA, has produced specific guidance for Landlords on window blind safety and updated its child safety website to include landlords and signpost the guidance; the National Residential Landlords Association is supporting the dissemination of this guidance. The Secretary of State acknowledges the risks of looped blind cords, reiterates the legal obligations for safe products, and will ask officials to further publicise RoSPA's safety campaign through newsletters to landlords and local authorities and guides for the private rented sector.