Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The flexible voting pilots are being conducted using powers under section 10 of the Representation of the People Act 2000, which provides for pilot schemes at local elections.

Under that Act, the relevant authority must apply to the Secretary of State to run a pilot. As the shadow unitary authorities do not yet have formal legal status as local authorities in law and did not do so prior to the pilot scheme application deadline, they cannot make such an application and therefore cannot pilot at the May 2027 elections.

Improving the completeness and accuracy of electoral registers is at the heart of the Government’s electoral reforms. New approaches to registration will be assessed robustly through pilots, as well as through ongoing consultation with the electoral sector. Under the piloting powers in the Representation of the People Bill, the Electoral Commission will be required to provide a report assessing the extent to which the objectives of any pilots undertaken using the Bill powers were achieved.

Work to develop the cross-government integration strategy is ongoing, and we will update in due course.

The Government aspires to follow the Gould principle wherever relevant, but we recognise that in some situations this may not be possible. We continue to work closely with stakeholders on implementation of the Representation of the People Bill, and with councils on local government restructuring, to ensure that they have the clarity and support that they need, and appropriate time to prepare to deliver any changes successfully.

As set out in the Representation of the People Bill, the Government intends to move towards more automated forms of electoral registration, in order to increase the completeness and accuracy of electoral registers, and make registration easier. In line with other recent developments in electoral administration, conducting short term pilots in a range of local authority areas will play a crucial role in achieving these longer term objectives, by helping to ensure that any implementation of permanent changes to electoral registration result in more eligible people being accurately registered.

Local authorities must ensure that temporary accommodation is suitable for applicants and members of their household, taking account of their needs, requirements, circumstances and the location of the accommodation.

The statutory Homelessness Code of Guidance encourages housing authorities to give careful consideration to applicants who wish to retain their pets, which may include support dogs who are used for companionship, and local authorities should do their upmost to try and accommodate this. However, not all types of temporary or emergency accommodation are suitable for pets, as there may be limited facilities and space available.

Whilst some accommodation may not be suitable for pets, alternative suitable accommodation should be sought for applicants with guide dogs and assistance dogs as local authorities should be mindful of how their policies and decisions affect people who are protected under the Equality Act 2010.

The Government greatly appreciates the continued generosity of sponsors/hosts supporting Ukrainian guests.

Sponsors/hosts of Homes for Ukraine guests are eligible for a thank you payment of £350 a month for the duration of a guests’ Homes for Ukraine visa period and for 18-months of the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme visa period.

The extension of thank you payments for 18-months of UPE provides time for guests and sponsors/hosts to plan for next steps, including securing independent accommodation if needed. Alternatively sponsors/hosts and guests may want to consider converting to a lodging arrangement and making use of the Government’s Rent a Room scheme. Where sponsors/hosts charge rent, they will not be eligible to receive a thank you payment.

Councils receive a tariff of £5,900 per Homes for Ukraine arrival in their area to support guests to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities. We publish funding allocation data each quarter, which is broken down by local authority on gov.uk here.

Councils have the flexibility to use the funding to support guests, sponsors and hosts as best suits the local area. This could include measures to support guests to access employment, English language provision and provide integration measures that support Ukrainians to access private rented accommodation.

As councils remain responsible for fulfilling their statutory homelessness and welfare duties to all residents, they are the primary point of support where accommodation or wider assistance is required, and are funded accordingly.

We continue to engage closely with councils and the voluntary and community sector to ensure that we understand the needs of Ukrainians living in the UK and that adequate support is available.

Our Homes for Ukraine Equality Impact Assessment was updated to reflect MHCLG policy changes. Potential environmental and all other impacts of the policy were also considered.

The Government greatly appreciates the continued generosity of sponsors/hosts supporting Ukrainian guests.

Sponsors/hosts of Homes for Ukraine guests are eligible for a thank you payment of £350 a month for the duration of a guests’ Homes for Ukraine visa period and for 18-months of the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme visa period.

The extension of thank you payments for 18-months of UPE provides time for guests and sponsors/hosts to plan for next steps, including securing independent accommodation if needed. Alternatively sponsors/hosts and guests may want to consider converting to a lodging arrangement and making use of the Government’s Rent a Room scheme. Where sponsors/hosts charge rent, they will not be eligible to receive a thank you payment.

Councils receive a tariff of £5,900 per Homes for Ukraine arrival in their area to support guests to rebuild their lives and fully integrate into communities. We publish funding allocation data each quarter, which is broken down by local authority on gov.uk here.

Councils have the flexibility to use the funding to support guests, sponsors and hosts as best suits the local area. This could include measures to support guests to access employment, English language provision and provide integration measures that support Ukrainians to access private rented accommodation.

As councils remain responsible for fulfilling their statutory homelessness and welfare duties to all residents, they are the primary point of support where accommodation or wider assistance is required, and are funded accordingly.

We continue to engage closely with councils and the voluntary and community sector to ensure that we understand the needs of Ukrainians living in the UK and that adequate support is available.

Our Homes for Ukraine Equality Impact Assessment was updated to reflect MHCLG policy changes. Potential environmental and all other impacts of the policy were also considered.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210). We are currently analysing the feedback received to both consultations referenced in it and will publish our response in due course.

Information submitted to the ‘Register your rental property’ service will not be publicly visible before winter 2027.

Future legislation will set out which landlord and property records will be publicly accessible at the point the public-facing service is launched at a later date.

Following this, tenants will be able to access certain necessary and proportionate information about landlords and rental properties, to help them better understand whether key legal requirements are being met.

In considering which information should be published, the government will carefully balance the benefits of transparency with landlords’ privacy rights, safety concerns, and data protection requirements.

Information submitted to the ‘Register your rental property’ service will not be publicly visible before winter 2027.

Future legislation will set out which landlord and property records will be publicly accessible at the point the public-facing service is launched at a later date.

Following this, tenants will be able to access certain necessary and proportionate information about landlords and rental properties, to help them better understand whether key legal requirements are being met.

In considering which information should be published, the government will carefully balance the benefits of transparency with landlords’ privacy rights, safety concerns, and data protection requirements.

Lodgers generally occupy their home under a licence rather than an assured tenancy and therefore fall outside the scope of the Renters’ Rights Act which reformed the assured tenancy regime.

The government is nevertheless committed to ensuring that people have safe and good-quality homes, regardless of tenure, and will keep the protections available to those occupying under a licence under review.

The Government laid the Code before Parliament on 20 October 2026.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements made on 21 November 2024 (HCWS244), 15 July 2026 (HCWS270) and 12 October 2026 (HCWS363).

The Right to Acquire rural designation orders have not been formally reviewed since their introduction in 1997.

Through the Social Housing Bill, the government is reforming the framework of rural designation as it applies to the Right to Buy. An amendment introduced at Commons Committee Stage specifies that the criteria for rural designation for the Right to Buy will be set out in regulations.

This will give a power to local authorities to self-designate eligible areas against specified rural criteria.

The government intends to align the Right to Acquire with the Right to Buy rural designation framework to ensure a consistent application across both schemes.

Existing guidance on the arrangements for grant-funded Shared Ownership homes in Designated Protected Areas (DPA), including the process for seeking a waiver of the relevant grant conditions, is available on gov.uk here. Under this process, an application must be submitted to Homes England by the relevant local authority.

I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 October 2026 (HCWS417).

Existing guidance on the arrangements for grant-funded Shared Ownership homes in Designated Protected Areas (DPA), including the process for seeking a waiver of the relevant grant conditions, is available on gov.uk here. Under this process, an application must be submitted to Homes England by the relevant local authority.

I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 October 2026 (HCWS417).

Existing guidance on the arrangements for grant-funded Shared Ownership homes in Designated Protected Areas (DPA), including the process for seeking a waiver of the relevant grant conditions, is available on gov.uk here. Under this process, an application must be submitted to Homes England by the relevant local authority.

I otherwise refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 October 2026 (HCWS417).

The Government’s ambition is to ensure every area in England has, or is in the process of establishing, a strategic authority by the end of 2027, with strategic authorities in place everywhere by the end of 2028.

The Government recently wrote to all areas without a Strategic Authority seeking confirmation of their devolution ambitions, including their preferences regarding mayoral or non-mayoral devolution and views on the right geographical footprint. We will confirm next steps in writing to all areas soon.

The Government is clear that a new approach to integration is required to effectively integrate new arrivals and existing communities.

In Protecting What Matters, we outlined the steps government is taking to implement a new approach to integration based on values, including:

• Committing to set national integration expectations across the country, focused on stronger social connections, shared identity, English language proficiency, and participation in work. These expectations will be developed as part of the integration strategy and provide a transparent way to measure outcomes and track where progress is being made and where more needs to be done.

• Committing to develop an effective cross-government integration strategy to help existing and new migrants effectively integrate into their communities. Efforts will focus on removing barriers to participation, supporting underrepresented groups, and fostering a shared sense of values across the UK. The strategy will be underpinned by strong collaboration with local government and the voluntary and community sector, as well as other government departments to build on existing work and identify new opportunities.

Following the Prime Minister’s Wildfire Resilience Summit on 23 October, we are taking practical action to strengthen preparedness ahead of the 2027 wildfire season. We have announced up to £45 million of additional funding for England’s frontline wildfire capability, including specialist wildfire teams and lightweight, wildfire-specific protective equipment. This is on top of the £97 million already announced to upgrade National Resilience assets and equipment, including a pilot national wildfire response capability.

We are also developing a nationally coordinated aerial firefighting capability, working with the Met Office to improve wildfire forecasting and risk information, and strengthening prevention through £25 million for peatland restoration and support for land management measures. These measures will be brought together through England’s first Wildfire Action Plan, covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

I refer the noble Lord to my previous answer to his question about Arconic on 18 September 2026 HL3098.

MHCLG does not have any direct contracts with Arconic for the supply of cladding panels, materials or services.

Concerning the cross-government position, MHCLG do not hold this data. It is the responsibility of Contracting Authorities to publish their supplier data on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, so they are publicly available. We have checked these two data sets for references to "Arconic" and none have been found.

I refer the noble Lord to my previous answer to his question about Arconic on 18 September 2026 HL3098.

MHCLG does not have any direct contracts with Arconic for the supply of cladding panels, materials or services.

Concerning the cross-government position, MHCLG do not hold this data. It is the responsibility of Contracting Authorities to publish their supplier data on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, so they are publicly available. We have checked these two data sets for references to "Arconic" and none have been found.

I refer the noble Lord to my previous answer to his question about Arconic on 18 September 2026 HL3098.

MHCLG does not have any direct contracts with Arconic for the supply of cladding panels, materials or services.

Concerning the cross-government position, MHCLG do not hold this data. It is the responsibility of Contracting Authorities to publish their supplier data on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, so they are publicly available. We have checked these two data sets for references to "Arconic" and none have been found.

I refer the noble Lord to my previous answer to his question about Arconic on 18 September 2026 HL3098.

MHCLG does not have any direct contracts with Arconic for the supply of cladding panels, materials or services.

Concerning the cross-government position, MHCLG do not hold this data. It is the responsibility of Contracting Authorities to publish their supplier data on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender, so they are publicly available. We have checked these two data sets for references to "Arconic" and none have been found.

The commitment to reviewing English language provision was outlined in the Government’s social cohesion action plan, Protecting What Matters: Towards a more confident, cohesive, and resilient United Kingdom, published in April 2026.

The review of English language aims to identify best practice, and explore how innovation, including digital delivery, can increase the numbers able to speak English.

There are no Terms of Reference to be published, however, a report with the findings from the review will be published in due course.

The Government will set out further details about how the National Commission on Electoral Reform will carry out its work, including how people can participate, in due course.

Electoral law regulates donations to registered non-party campaigners. Non-party campaigners spending over £10,000 during a regulated period have to register with the Electoral Commission and can only accept donations from permissible sources.

The government welcomes the Rycroft Review recommendation on non-party campaigning and agrees that the current rules need to be strengthened.

The Government believes an independent assessment is needed of the adequacy of current electoral spending limits. When spending limits were previously raised, the Electoral Commission emphasised it ‘had not seen evidence’ to support the inflation-related changes and that ‘any changes to spending or reporting thresholds must be supported by rigorous analysis, including on the likely impact on public confidence and transparency.’

The Government has therefore asked the Electoral Commission to review registered political party, third-party campaigner and candidate spending limits and provide recommendations by July 2027.

We will not pre-empt the recommendations that the Electoral Commission may make.

The Government does not hold central data on the number of households or individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) receiving support from local authorities.

There are no plans to introduce a dedicated reimbursement scheme for local authority expenditure on NRPF support and so no estimate of the cost of doing so.

In general, the expectation of the UK Government is that migrants who are given leave to be in the UK with an NRPF condition should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and their dependants without recourse to public funds.

The NRPF condition is an important plank of immigration policy designed to avoid excessive demands upon the UK’s finite resources and reassure the public that controlled immigration brings real benefits to the UK.

The Government keeps the funding available to local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement under review. The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

The Government does not hold central data on the number of households or individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) receiving support from local authorities.

There are no plans to introduce a dedicated reimbursement scheme for local authority expenditure on NRPF support and so no estimate of the cost of doing so.

In general, the expectation of the UK Government is that migrants who are given leave to be in the UK with an NRPF condition should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and their dependants without recourse to public funds.

The NRPF condition is an important plank of immigration policy designed to avoid excessive demands upon the UK’s finite resources and reassure the public that controlled immigration brings real benefits to the UK.

The Government keeps the funding available to local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement under review. The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

The Government does not hold central data on the number of households or individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) receiving support from local authorities.

There are no plans to introduce a dedicated reimbursement scheme for local authority expenditure on NRPF support and so no estimate of the cost of doing so.

In general, the expectation of the UK Government is that migrants who are given leave to be in the UK with an NRPF condition should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and their dependants without recourse to public funds.

The NRPF condition is an important plank of immigration policy designed to avoid excessive demands upon the UK’s finite resources and reassure the public that controlled immigration brings real benefits to the UK.

The Government keeps the funding available to local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement under review. The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

The Government does not hold central data on the number of households or individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) receiving support from local authorities.

There are no plans to introduce a dedicated reimbursement scheme for local authority expenditure on NRPF support and so no estimate of the cost of doing so.

In general, the expectation of the UK Government is that migrants who are given leave to be in the UK with an NRPF condition should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and their dependants without recourse to public funds.

The NRPF condition is an important plank of immigration policy designed to avoid excessive demands upon the UK’s finite resources and reassure the public that controlled immigration brings real benefits to the UK.

The Government keeps the funding available to local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement under review. The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

The Government does not hold central data on the number of households or individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) receiving support from local authorities.

There are no plans to introduce a dedicated reimbursement scheme for local authority expenditure on NRPF support and so no estimate of the cost of doing so.

In general, the expectation of the UK Government is that migrants who are given leave to be in the UK with an NRPF condition should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and their dependants without recourse to public funds.

The NRPF condition is an important plank of immigration policy designed to avoid excessive demands upon the UK’s finite resources and reassure the public that controlled immigration brings real benefits to the UK.

The Government keeps the funding available to local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement under review. The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

The Government does not hold central data on the number of households or individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) receiving support from local authorities.

There are no plans to introduce a dedicated reimbursement scheme for local authority expenditure on NRPF support and so no estimate of the cost of doing so.

In general, the expectation of the UK Government is that migrants who are given leave to be in the UK with an NRPF condition should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and their dependants without recourse to public funds.

The NRPF condition is an important plank of immigration policy designed to avoid excessive demands upon the UK’s finite resources and reassure the public that controlled immigration brings real benefits to the UK.

The Government keeps the funding available to local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement under review. The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

The Government does not hold central data on the number of households or individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) receiving support from local authorities.

There are no plans to introduce a dedicated reimbursement scheme for local authority expenditure on NRPF support and so no estimate of the cost of doing so.

In general, the expectation of the UK Government is that migrants who are given leave to be in the UK with an NRPF condition should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and their dependants without recourse to public funds.

The NRPF condition is an important plank of immigration policy designed to avoid excessive demands upon the UK’s finite resources and reassure the public that controlled immigration brings real benefits to the UK.

The Government keeps the funding available to local authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement under review. The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase compared to 2025-26. The majority of funding in the Local Government Finance Settlement is unringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

The Traveller Site Fund was established by the previous government as a time-limited fund and has now concluded. Traveller sites fall within the scope of the Government's £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, meaning local authorities can continue to seek funding for traveller site provision through that programme.

The Government will set out further details about the remit of the National Commission on Electoral Reform and about how it will carry out its work, including how people can participate, in due course. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of the Commission's work.

We monitor trends in religious and racial hatred closely, working across Government, with the police and community partners to understand emerging issues and impacts. In the year ending March 2026, police recorded 210 religious hate crimes targeting Hindus, representing 2% of all religious hate crimes and a 15% increase from the previous year.

Whilst the number of hate crimes targeting Hindus remains relatively low compared with other forms of religious hatred, every incident represents an unacceptable attack on an individual’s right to live and practise their faith freely. One hate crime is one too many and this Government is committed to tackling all forms of racial and religious hatred wherever it occurs, including that directed at Hindus.

The Government is delivering targeted interventions to tackle hatred at its root across all corners of society. This includes investing in places of worship and protective security funding, strengthening hate crime reporting and enforcement, ensuring online hate crime offences are swiftly investigated and that hate crimes are prosecuted with the full force of the law.

Poverty, housing availability and affordability are the root causes of homelessness and rough sleeping. The National Plan to End Homelessness acknowledges that many people on low incomes struggle to afford rising rents in the private rental market and recognises some private renters need support with their rent.

The Department of Work and Pensions Secretary of State reviews Local Housing Allowance rates annually. For those who require further financial support with housing costs, Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) Housing Payments in England and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) in Scotland and Wales may be available from local authorities.

My Department regularly speaks to local authorities to understand homelessness pressures, including as a result of Local Housing Allowance rates.

Poverty, housing availability and affordability are the root causes of homelessness and rough sleeping. The National Plan to End Homelessness acknowledges that many people on low incomes struggle to afford rising rents in the private rental market and recognises some private renters need support with their rent.

The Department of Work and Pensions Secretary of State reviews Local Housing Allowance rates annually. For those who require further financial support with housing costs, Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) Housing Payments in England and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) in Scotland and Wales may be available from local authorities.

My Department regularly speaks to local authorities to understand homelessness pressures, including as a result of Local Housing Allowance rates.

The Government will set out further details about how the National Commission on Electoral Reform will carry out its work in due course.

The Government has no plans to commission specific research into surge parking fees at this time.

We are providing over £4 billion in funding for homelessness and rough sleeping services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, including nearly £1 billion over the multi-year settlement for temporary accommodation funding.

The Value for Money Review of homelessness will assess the underlying cost-effectiveness of cross government spend that helps to prevent and relieve all forms of homelessness, and will make actionable recommendations that improve efficiency, accountability, outcomes, and reduce financial pressures on councils. The review will also explore accommodation delivery models, including novel and innovative approaches to temporary accommodation and the supported housing sector. The findings will inform decisions for future policy development.

For further details please see the published Terms of Reference available here.