Social Housing in the Hands of the Labour Party
As we move into a new era of governance, the 2024 Labour manifesto presents a welcomed and ambitious plan for social housing in England and Wales. Central to Labour’s broader mission of economic renewal and social justice, the Labour government is keen to ensure that more people have access to affordable, secure, and high-quality homes.
To summarise, in 5 key focus areas, Labour has committed to:
#1 Building: build homes and prioritise social housing
The manifesto commits to constructing 1.5 million homes within five years. The target for the building of social homes has not been formally announced, however, the new Labour government has promised to “deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation” and, therefore, tough requirements on affordable housing numbers would be mandated.
#2 Planning: empower local authorities and reform the system
To expedite housebuilding, Labour proposes a housing recovery plan, which focuses on reforming the planning system. This includes:
- Measures to empower local authorities by giving them greater control over planning and housing investments;
- Upskilling local authorities on Section 106 negotiations;
- Funding additional planning officers;
- Introducing a “planning passport” for urban brownfield development; with a fast-track approval and delivery of high-density housing on urban brownfield sites; and
- A new framework for land value capture, ensuring that increases in land value resulting from public investments benefit the community rather than private landowners.
#3 Community: create new towns
Labour plans to create new towns equipped with essential infrastructure, such as green spaces, reliable transport links, and vibrant high streets. This initiative is designed to foster community development and ensure that new housing projects are sustainable and beneficial to local residents.
#4 Environment: producing green homes
The manifesto outlines a plan to implement stringent environmental standards for new builds, aligning with the broader goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This includes mandating energy-efficient designs and incorporating renewable energy sources in new housing projects.
This “green” policy also extends to the investment in the renovation and improvement of existing social housing stock; including upgrading homes to be more energy efficient and making necessary repairs to improve living conditions.
#5 Homelessness: combat homelessness at its core
Labour proposes a comprehensive strategy to end homelessness, which focuses on prevention from its earliest stages. This strategy involves fostering a collaborative environment with local councils to address the shortage of affordable housing and issues in the private rental market and encourage integration of services across different sectors, including health, housing, and social care. The manifesto promises significant investment in mental health services, addiction treatment, and employment support tailored to the needs of homeless individuals.
Further, legislative changes have been proposed to enhance the rights of tenants, end no-fault evictions and limit rent increases within tenancies.
In summary
The manifesto outlines significant financial commitments to fund these initiatives, including reallocating resources from other areas and closing tax loopholes.
The new government’s manifesto commitments represents both challenges and and opportunities for social housing providers. As well as jumpstarting the creation and renovation of housing stock to raised standards – with the attendant boost to property developers – these reforms will encompass major legislative changes. Both developers and landlords will need to carefully navigate this new landscape, as they work to deliver this ambitious vision for 21st century homes.
To find out more about how the changes are likely to affect you, contact our Social Housing team.