Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The previous government made a sustained recovery for councils even harder by charging a premium on borrowing for councils needing Exceptional Financial Support. In December 2024, the government confirmed that the additional 1% premium on Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) borrowing would not apply to any council borrowing or refinancing going forward.

The previous government made a sustained recovery for councils even harder by charging a premium on borrowing for councils needing Exceptional Financial Support. In December 2024, the government confirmed that the additional 1% premium on Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) borrowing would not apply to any council borrowing or refinancing going forward.

The previous government made a sustained recovery for councils even harder by charging a premium on borrowing for councils needing Exceptional Financial Support. In December 2024, the government confirmed that the additional 1% premium on Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) borrowing would not apply to any council borrowing or refinancing going forward.

High-quality accommodation in the private rented sector plays an important role in councils discharging their homelessness duties. In England in 2024/25, 52,870 households had their prevention or relief duty ended with accommodation secured in the private rented sector, and 4,070 households had their main duty ended having accepted a private rented sector offer.

Our Pride in Place strategy sets out how we will deliver up to £5.8 billion over ten years to 284 neighbourhoods (Middle Super Output Areas) experiencing the highest levels of deprivation across the country. Many coalfield communities – including very deprived Lower Super Output Areas - are part of this programme: Bentilee and Ubberley, Peterlee East, Grassmoor & Holmewood, Platt Bridge & Spring View, amongst many others.

In September 2025 we announced the Local Regeneration Fund, which brings together the Levelling Up Fund, Towns Deals and Pathfinder Pilots into a single, flexible capital pot, responding to Local Authority feedback for less bureaucratic oversight and more local autonomy.

This partnership approach empowers local authorities to allocate resources based on their own priorities, which will help rural councils. Decisions on how to manage these allocations rest with each authority’s Section 151 Officer or equivalent. In the small number of cases where projects are no longer viable, we expect projects to rescope their plans and use the funding for other initiatives in the same area that originally stood to benefit.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister confirmed that 40 further places will join the Pride in Place Programme. That means that nearly 300 communities will benefit from this transformational programme. Funding for the Pride in Place programme is going to communities with the greatest need: places that have been overlooked and stand to benefit most, including market towns.

Tackling all forms of hatred is an issue of global significance. This government is committed to eradicating hated from our society, working to ensure that no individual should ever experience hatred or live in fear due to their race, religion, beliefs or the way they choose to live their lives.

The government works closely with allies and international partners including Australia to achieve this. This exchanging of relevant and up-to-date policy information helps to inform and develop effective strategies for addressing the global rise of antisemitism both at home and abroad.

Building owners are responsible for managing and addressing fire and structural safety risks in their buildings. They are required to apply for a Building Assessment Certificate (BAC), which includes an assessment by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) of whether they understand and are managing their building safety risks to an acceptable standard.

Where a BAC is rejected by the BSR, the building owner will be notified by the Regulator of the issues they need to fix, and the deadline they must fix them by. The BSR can also take further enforcement action for non-compliance. The building owner is often the principal accountable person. Where the principal accountable person is not meeting their duties, residents should raise a complaint to them directly. If the resident is not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, they can contact the Building Safety Regulator.

One of the significant challenges local regulators (local authorities and fire and rescue authorities) can face in relation to building safety, is identifying who is practically responsible for each building. While determining the legal owner is usually straightforward, the identity of the parent company, which makes decisions and benefits financially, is often hidden behind layers of corporate ownership. This obfuscation makes it difficult to pinpoint where the real decision-making power lies.

To address this issue, the government is proposing legislation that will provide regulators with the powers to compel the disclosure of full ownership structures. This measure aims to enhance transparency and ensure that enforcement bodies can hold the appropriate parties accountable. This legislation will be brought forward in the Remediation Bill, when parliamentary time allows.

The Government committed in its manifesto to encourage greater participation in democracy. To support this, the Government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors.

Orders designating the pilots for May 2026 have been signed and shared with participating local authorities and the Electoral Commission. I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made yesterday, which details participating local authorities and nature of each pilot.

No flexible voting pilots are due to be held in local authority areas where elections due to run in May 2026 were previously postponed.

The Government committed in its manifesto to encourage greater participation in democracy. To support this, the Government is exploring ways to make voting in person more efficient, more convenient, and better aligned with the expectations of today’s electors.

Orders designating the pilots for May 2026 have been signed and shared with participating local authorities and the Electoral Commission. I refer the Rt. Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made yesterday, which details participating local authorities and nature of each pilot.

No flexible voting pilots are due to be held in local authority areas where elections due to run in May 2026 were previously postponed.

Eight years on from the Grenfell tragedy, there is no justification for any building to remain unsafe. The Government has provided extensive funding and strong legal protections to shield leaseholders from historical building safety costs following Grenfell, including cladding remediation funds and strengthened leaseholder rights under the Building Safety Act.

In December 2024, Government launched the Remediation Acceleration Plan (RAP) to fix buildings faster, identify those still at risk, and support residents. An update in July 2025 outlined progress and further steps to remove barriers and strengthen accountability.

As of December 2025, there are 30 buildings identified with unsafe cladding above 11m in the Poole constituency, of which 25 buildings have started or completed remediation works.

The Government remains committed to considering how to strengthen protections for leaseholders from current and future building safety issues, outside the scope of the leaseholder protections regime.

Plans to launch a new long-term Waking Watch Replacement Fund were announced as part of the RAP update in July 2025, and we plan to launch the new fund shortly.

In the RAP, we announced we would work with the insurance industry to consider options for possible government support. We are currently engaging with industry and will provide an update in due course. Following a public consultation, we are also proceeding with legislation to ban insurance commissions being passed to freeholders, landlords and managing agents at leaseholders’ expense, and replace these with a fair and transparent permitted fee structure.

As soon as parliamentary time allows, we will bring forward a new Remediation Bill to push the remediation of historic unsafe cladding further.

The government engages closely with councils across England to support them to help people experiencing and at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping in their areas including Westminster City Council. This year we have provided more than £1 billion for homelessness and rough sleeping services across England, including more than £26 million to Westminster City Council. My department’s team of homelessness and rough sleeping advisers meet with councils, including Westminster City Council, regularly to discuss challenges and share best practice.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) makes clear that planning policies and decisions should prevent new and existing development from contributing to, being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of noise pollution.

The government is currently consulting on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), including a new chapter (17) on Pollution, Public Protection and Security. This sets out that development proposals should not result in levels of noise exposure which would have a significant observed adverse effect. This is defined as the level of noise exposure above which significant adverse effects on health and quality of life occur.

The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

The government has no specific plans to fast-track planning applications that deliver 100% affordable housing.

We have already taken a number of steps to streamline planning processes generally.

We are currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework, that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 97962 on 15 December 2025.

The agent of change policy is given effect through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which makes clear that where the operation of an existing business or community facility could have a significant adverse effect on new development in its vicinity, the applicant (or ‘agent of change’) should be required to provide suitable mitigation before the development has been completed.

The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes a proposed update to the agent of change policy which sets out in more detail the types of matters which should be considered. These include early engagement with existing uses to identify potential impacts; the use of planning conditions to secure agreed mitigation measures; and the need to consider both current and permitted levels of activity to reduce the risk of conflict.

The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

The agent of change policy is given effect through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which makes clear that where the operation of an existing business or community facility could have a significant adverse effect on new development in its vicinity, the applicant (or ‘agent of change’) should be required to provide suitable mitigation before the development has been completed.

The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes a proposed update to the agent of change policy which sets out in more detail the types of matters which should be considered. These include early engagement with existing uses to identify potential impacts; the use of planning conditions to secure agreed mitigation measures; and the need to consider both current and permitted levels of activity to reduce the risk of conflict.

The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

Due to the quasi-judicial role of MHCLG Ministers in the planning system, neither the Secretary of State nor I are able to comment on the details of specific planning proposals, including discussing them with the relevant local planning authority.

Neither the Secretary of State nor I have any current plans to meet with the Social Housing Action Campaign.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, including the provision of supporting infrastructure in a sustainable manner. It also supports the increased provision and modernisation of various types of public infrastructure.

Local development plans should address needs and opportunities in relation to infrastructure and identify what infrastructure is required and how it can be funded and brought forward. When preparing a Local Plan, Planning Practice Guidance recommends that local planning authorities use available evidence of infrastructure requirements to prepare an Infrastructure Funding Statement. Such Statements can be used to demonstrate the delivery of infrastructure throughout the plan-period.

The government provides financial support for essential infrastructure in areas of greatest housing demand through Land and Infrastructure funding programmes, such as the Housing Infrastructure Fund.

The government is also committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.

Our Planning and Infrastructure Act includes various provisions designed to streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure.

The government is currently consulting on a new NPPF that includes clearer, ‘rules based’ policies for decision-making and plan-making. The consultation includes policies designed to further strengthen support for proposals that provide new or improved community facilities and public service infrastructure.

The consultation can be found on gov.uk here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 90834 on 21 November 2025, UIN 111724 on 2 March 2026, and UIN 26106 on 5 February 2025.

The government recognises the importance of potential buyers having the information they need to decide whether a home is right for them.

There is already a requirement under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 that any information that would help a prospective homebuyer to make an informed decision must not be hidden or omitted.

We would strongly advise prospective buyers and their legal representative to check that all relevant information has been provided. If this information was not provided at the time of purchase, a legal representative could advise on possible options.

The Government works closely with faith and belief groups and organisations to support communities, and there are a wide range of potential sources of support available to them.

The Common Ground Resilience Fund is providing over £3m funding to local communities in England to insulate them against threats to local social cohesion and resilience. Through the Common Ground Award, which forms part of this Fund, we are supporting the voluntary and community sector organisations - including faith-based organisations, with capital investments into the infrastructure and equipment which enables them to serve communities.

The Government also supports interfaith activities through which faith and belief organisations work with their wider communities. The Government supported Inter Faith Week 2025 by providing £141,720 of funding to ensure the Week remains a key part of the national calendar for dialogue, learning, and connection between people of different faiths and beliefs.

MHCLG has allocated up to £515,000 for the current financial year to fund the Near Neighbours programme in England, which is delivered by the Church Urban Fund. This programme brings together communities from diverse backgrounds and faiths to build relationships of trust and work together on initiatives that improve their communities.

Faith‑based organisations across England are also eligible to apply to the annual Windrush Day Grant Scheme, funded by MHCLG. Since 2019, the scheme has funded 268 projects, awarding a total of £3.75 million. Faith‑linked groups may receive funding where proposals align with the scheme’s aims of raising awareness of the Windrush story and strengthening community cohesion.

Supporting faith and belief communities’ physical buildings may help them in their work with communities. A new £92 million fund called the Places of Worship Renewal Fund will replace the £23 million Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and bring these important buildings into line with other heritage assets. It will give them access to the same level of financial support from the Government as historic houses, monuments and other heritage sites.

The third round of the Brownfield Land Release Fund will launch this year. Design options are currently being explored by officials.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 113747 on 2 March 2026.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780) and the answer given to Question UIN 103549 on 14 January 2026.

Small housing providers can bid for grant funding through the government’s new 10-year £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

Guidance to bidders from Homes England can be found on gov.uk here, and to bidders from the Greater London Authority here. The government’s policy statement to accompany this guidance can be found on gov.uk here.

The government is not taking any specific action to support local authorities to purchase land being sold by NHS Trusts.

However, in January we announced that we would extend the ‘preferential’ borrowing rate for council housebuilding from the Public Works Loan Board for another year until the end of March 2027. This will provide councils with greater certainty to increase their supply plans, including through land-led development.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 112714 on 2 March 2026.

My Department does not hold information on the proportion of social housing landlords who do not allow tenants to keep pets.

On 12 February 2026, Baroness Taylor wrote to all social housing landlords setting out my Department’s position on fair consideration of requests to have a pet in social housing. Her letter can be found on gov.uk here.

We have not made a projection of how many social housing landlords may change their pet policies as a result of the letter or wider reforms.

The government has no current plans to issue new guidance.

My Department does not hold information on the proportion of social housing landlords who do not allow tenants to keep pets.

On 12 February 2026, Baroness Taylor wrote to all social housing landlords setting out my Department’s position on fair consideration of requests to have a pet in social housing. Her letter can be found on gov.uk here.

We have not made a projection of how many social housing landlords may change their pet policies as a result of the letter or wider reforms.

The government has no current plans to issue new guidance.

My Department does not hold information on the proportion of social housing landlords who do not allow tenants to keep pets.

On 12 February 2026, Baroness Taylor wrote to all social housing landlords setting out my Department’s position on fair consideration of requests to have a pet in social housing. Her letter can be found on gov.uk here.

We have not made a projection of how many social housing landlords may change their pet policies as a result of the letter or wider reforms.

The government has no current plans to issue new guidance.

My Department does not hold information on the proportion of social housing landlords who do not allow tenants to keep pets.

On 12 February 2026, Baroness Taylor wrote to all social housing landlords setting out my Department’s position on fair consideration of requests to have a pet in social housing. Her letter can be found on gov.uk here.

We have not made a projection of how many social housing landlords may change their pet policies as a result of the letter or wider reforms.

The government has no current plans to issue new guidance.

My Department does not hold information on the proportion of social housing landlords who do not allow tenants to keep pets.

On 12 February 2026, Baroness Taylor wrote to all social housing landlords setting out my Department’s position on fair consideration of requests to have a pet in social housing. Her letter can be found on gov.uk here.

We have not made a projection of how many social housing landlords may change their pet policies as a result of the letter or wider reforms.

The government has no current plans to issue new guidance.

My Department does not hold information on the proportion of social housing landlords who do not allow tenants to keep pets.

On 12 February 2026, Baroness Taylor wrote to all social housing landlords setting out my Department’s position on fair consideration of requests to have a pet in social housing. Her letter can be found on gov.uk here.

We have not made a projection of how many social housing landlords may change their pet policies as a result of the letter or wider reforms.

The government has no current plans to issue new guidance.

Ministers are expected to maintain high standards of behaviour and to behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety. The Ministerial Code provides guidance to ministers on how they should act and arrange their affairs in order to uphold these standards. Ministers are responsible for their own behaviour, and are ultimately accountable to the Prime Minister for their conduct under the Ministerial Code

The government has not made a specific assessment of the effectiveness of Section 20B. Under Section 20B of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 a landlord must notify leaseholders of service charge costs being incurred or demanded within 18 months of when the costs were incurred. If landlords miss this deadline, leaseholders are not liable to pay these costs unless the landlord sends a written notice within this period about the costs and their future responsibility to contribute. Leaseholders who consider that they received such a demand outside the time limit and without notification should seek advice, for example from the Leasehold Advisory Service. Leaseholders may challenge unreasonable charges at the First-tier Tribunal.

The Department does not own or have commercially contracted heavy vehicles. It has not procured any tyres of any type for that class of vehicle within the past 12 months.

The Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994, set out requirements for re-treaded tyres, as well as brand new tyres. Consumers can be confident in the safety of any tyre that complies with these requirements.

The Government remains committed to the indicative timetable published in July, with elections to new councils in May 2027. This is with the exception of Surrey, where we have already announced two new councils with elections expected in May 2026.

The Government remains committed to the indicative timetable published in July, with elections to new councils in May 2027. This is with the exception of Surrey, where we have already announced two new councils with elections expected in May 2026.

The precise design and scope of the power to introduce an overnight visitor levy are still being developed. Decisions on whether to introduce a levy will ultimately be for Mayors and other local leaders, based on what is right for their area.

The Government’s consultation on the design and scope of the visitor levy closed on 18 February, and we will publish an official response in due course.

The precise design and scope of the power to introduce an overnight visitor levy are still being developed. Decisions on whether to introduce a levy will ultimately be for Mayors and other local leaders, based on what is right for their area.

The Government’s consultation on the design and scope of the visitor levy closed on 18 February, and we will publish an official response in due course.

The precise design and scope of the power to introduce an overnight visitor levy are still being developed. Decisions on whether to introduce a levy will ultimately be for Mayors and other local leaders, based on what is right for their area.

The Government’s consultation on the design and scope of the visitor levy closed on 18 February, and we will publish an official response in due course.