The Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Bill is a private member’s bill that has government support. The purpose of the bill is to improve the regulation and oversight of ‘supported exempt’ housing, which is exempt from the benefit cap and housing benefit limits in welfare regulations. The bill has been introduced in response to reports of poor quality provision in the exempt housing sector.
The Mobile Homes (Pitch Fees) Bill is a short private member's bill which would change the inflationary measure used during annual pitch fee reviews for mobile homes from the retail prices index (RPI) to the consumer prices index (CPI). CPI is generally lower than RPI, which proponents of the bill say will provide a cost saving to mobile home owners. The bill is sponsored by Lord Udny-Lister (Conservative). It completed its passage in the House of Commons with no amendment or debate. The bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 21 November 2022 and is scheduled to have its second reading on 3 February 2022. Housing policy is a devolved matter. The bill extends to England and Wales but would only apply to England. It would come into force two months after royal assent.
The Stamp Duty Land Tax (Temporary Relief) Bill would give statutory effect to the reduction in certain stamp duty rates brought in by Liz Truss’s government and which are already in effect. The reductions would apply until 31 March 2025.
Research Briefing
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill would give effect to aspects of the government’s levelling up agenda to reduce economic, social and environmental disparities between and within different parts of the UK. It would provide for the government to set statutory levelling up missions amongst other measures, including significant proposals concerning planning in England. A number of clauses were added to the bill during the bill’s passage through the House of Commons.
In Focus
This article explores how the rising cost of living has affected the UK healthcare ecosystem. Rising energy prices and food insecurity can lead to an increasingly ill population, while staff shortages and high hospital bills add pressure to the health system. In November 2022, the UK government announced an £8bn spending increase for health and adult social care, but some organisations have said it is not enough.
In Focus
A range of issues have been raised about housing in England, including the supply and affordability of homes and their quality and suitability for the future. This article provides a selection of statistics on these issues, as well as further reading and commentary on the long-term policies needed to deal with them.
In Focus
In January 2022, the House of Lords Built Environment Committee published the report ‘Meeting housing demand’, which argued that the government should remove the “administrative and other blockers” that prevent increased housing supply. Ahead of a House of Lords debate on the report on 8 November 2022, this article summarises the report, the government’s response and recent developments in housing and planning reform policy.
In Focus
Volatility in the financial markets can have impacts throughout the financial system. This article looks at the role of the Bank of England in maintaining financial stability and its recent intervention to prevent “dysfunction” in the gilt market from causing “contagion” to credit conditions for UK households and businesses. In particular, the article looks at how recent financial market volatility may have affected pensions, mortgages and the rental market.
Research Briefing
On 15 July 2022, the Healthy Homes Bill [HL] is due to receive second reading in the House of Lords. This private member’s bill would set out a new duty for the government to deliver healthy homes through the creation of healthy homes principles and a new healthy homes commissioner.
Research Briefing
The Domestic Premises (Electrical Safety Certificate) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat). The bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 15 July 2022.
Research Briefing
The Local Authority (Housing Allocation) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Lord Mann (non-affiliated). The bill is due to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 8 July 2022. The bill would require local planning authorities to establish targets for the allocation of land for new housing in England in consultation with their local communities. The timescales for meeting these targets would be set by the secretary of state.
Research Briefing
The Social Housing (Regulation) Bill [HL] is a government bill that seeks to facilitate a new, proactive approach to regulating social housing landlords on consumer issues such as safety, transparency and tenant engagement. It also aims to refine the existing economic regulatory regime and strengthen the sector regulator’s powers. The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the bill’s second reading on 27 June 2022.
In Focus
The policy known as ‘right to buy’ gives local authority housing tenants the power to purchase their home at a discounted rate. The government has recently announced plans to extend the right to buy to housing association tenants. The conditions of right to buy have been regularly changed since its introduction in 1980. Recent trials have tested how it could be extended to housing association tenants.
In Focus
The Equality Act 2010 is the main piece of domestic legislation governing disabled people’s rights in the UK; it replaced several separate pieces of discrimination legislation. A 2016 House of Lords committee review contained recommendations for improvements to the 2010 Act. In September 2021, the House of Lords Liaison Committee examined whether these recommendations had been implemented. The committee’s 2021 report is due to be discussed in the House of Lords on 21 June 2022.
In Focus
Ahead of the Queen’s Speech on 10 May 2022, this article examines the Government’s policy commitments on levelling up, housing and communities. This includes the measures found in the levelling up white paper, which aimed to reduce geographical inequalities across the UK. It also discusses the Government’s plans to bring forward legislation on social housing, the rental market and leaseholds.
Total results (page 1 of 7)