Pressure remains on public services
The Chancellor delivered his Autumn Statement on 22 November, setting out plans to support businesses and get more people into work, and to invest in infrastructure and levelling up.
housing
New homes standards ‘could cost £18m’
Research by the LGA has found councils in England could face an extra £18 million to deal with new housing standards.
Concerns raised on homeless Afghans
The LGA and councils continue to raise significant concerns around Afghan families presenting as homeless, with thousands due to be evicted from hotels in late July and August.
Call for ‘step change’ in council housebuilding
Every area in England should be handed a new local housing deal by 2025 that combines funding from multiple national housing programmes into a single pot to spark a “generational step change” in council housebuilding.
Labour focuses on housing and devolution
Labour will “take the housing crisis head on” and deliver on devolution if it forms the next government.
Significant budget savings with drone roof surveys
Drones offer significant savings on traditional property surveys, and these are likely to be even higher when factoring in the reduced nuisance to residents.
Funding for resettling new arrivals
The Government has launched a second round of funding for councils to help resettle new arrivals to the UK and reduce the risk of homelessness.
Protections for renters
The long-awaited Renters (Reform) Bill has been introduced to Parliament, almost a year after the publication of the Government’s ‘A fairer private rented sector’ White Paper.
Affordable loans for retrofitting homes
Architectural styles may vary subtly across the UK, but one thing does not. Whether they were built in the 1960s or the 1690s, many of the country’s older homes have very poor energy performance.