Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Government has been clear that those responsible for unsafe buildings should contribute towards the cost of fixing them. As of March 2025, the Government estimated that it will cost between £11.8bn and £22.7bn to remediate residential buildings 11 metres and above in height that have or had unsafe cladding in England.

Under the Developer Remediation Contract (DRC), 53 major developers have committed to fix or pay to fix over 2,600 buildings at a cost to themselves of around £4.2bn.

Where a building which was not developed by one of the 53 major developers requires cladding remediation, the Government has committed to grant funding. Under the terms of the grant funding agreement, the applicant is required to pursue reasonable cost recovery efforts from third parties, including developers where appropriate.

In addition, the Government is taking legal action to recover costs from those responsible using powers in the Building Safety Act 2022. For example, in May 2026 the department secured a remediation contribution order for £3.7m from a developer responsible for a building in London which the taxpayer had paid to remediate.

The Government does not publish data on the number of small and medium housebuilders who have building safety remediation liabilities. Data on the liabilities of developers under the Developer Remediation Contracts is published on gov.uk here.

The wider housebuilding sector will contribute to remediation costs through the Building Safety Levy, which comes into force from 1 October 2026. Measures within the levy to support smaller developers include an exemption for developments of fewer than 10 units, a 50% discount for new developments on previously developed land and an exemption for affordable housing.

The Government keeps the impact of building safety measures on housing delivery under review.

The Government has been clear that those responsible for unsafe buildings should contribute towards the cost of fixing them. As of March 2025, the Government estimated that it will cost between £11.8bn and £22.7bn to remediate residential buildings 11 metres and above in height that have or had unsafe cladding in England.

Under the Developer Remediation Contract (DRC), 53 major developers have committed to fix or pay to fix over 2,600 buildings at a cost to themselves of around £4.2bn.

Where a building which was not developed by one of the 53 major developers requires cladding remediation, the Government has committed to grant funding. Under the terms of the grant funding agreement, the applicant is required to pursue reasonable cost recovery efforts from third parties, including developers where appropriate.

In addition, the Government is taking legal action to recover costs from those responsible using powers in the Building Safety Act 2022. For example, in May 2026 the department secured a remediation contribution order for £3.7m from a developer responsible for a building in London which the taxpayer had paid to remediate.

The Government does not publish data on the number of small and medium housebuilders who have building safety remediation liabilities. Data on the liabilities of developers under the Developer Remediation Contracts is published on gov.uk here.

The wider housebuilding sector will contribute to remediation costs through the Building Safety Levy, which comes into force from 1 October 2026. Measures within the levy to support smaller developers include an exemption for developments of fewer than 10 units, a 50% discount for new developments on previously developed land and an exemption for affordable housing.

The Government keeps the impact of building safety measures on housing delivery under review.

The Government recognises the importance of publicly available green space for the health and wellbeing of communities. The Department has not made a specific assessment of trends in the level of loss of publicly available green space in England over the last three years, or the impact of new development on the availability of green space in urban and rural communities. However, the Government collects data on access to green and blue space. The latest data shows that 80% of households in England have access to at least one green or blue space within a 15-minute walk.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in August 2026, sets out that development plans should set local standards for the provision of different types of recreational land and facilities, as well as the provision of green infrastructure, in ways which complement each other and draw on Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Standards. These include a standard on accessible green space which sets criteria on size, proximity and quality. Policies for informal recreation should aim to secure a connected network of high quality, inclusive and accessible opportunities as part of the wider network of green space provision. The new NPPF also safeguards against the loss of open space, sport and recreation facilities.

The Government recognises the importance of publicly available green space for the health and wellbeing of communities. The Department has not made a specific assessment of trends in the level of loss of publicly available green space in England over the last three years, or the impact of new development on the availability of green space in urban and rural communities. However, the Government collects data on access to green and blue space. The latest data shows that 80% of households in England have access to at least one green or blue space within a 15-minute walk.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), published in August 2026, sets out that development plans should set local standards for the provision of different types of recreational land and facilities, as well as the provision of green infrastructure, in ways which complement each other and draw on Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Standards. These include a standard on accessible green space which sets criteria on size, proximity and quality. Policies for informal recreation should aim to secure a connected network of high quality, inclusive and accessible opportunities as part of the wider network of green space provision. The new NPPF also safeguards against the loss of open space, sport and recreation facilities.

The New Dimensions 2 programme is a comprehensive capital asset replacement programme to review, refresh and upgrade the National Resilience assets used by fire and rescue authorities in response to the largest and most complex incidents.

As part of the programme, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is replacing and updating the assets for the High Volume Pumping (HVP) capability, which is used in the response to wide-area flooding and large-scale fires.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service currently host an HVP capability and, accordingly, will be receiving a range of new vehicles and equipment which will replace and upgrade their current assets.

As part of our wider work on building professions, trades and occupations, we will consider the role that schemes such as Safety Schemes in Procurement and the Common Assessment Standard can play in supporting competence and reducing unnecessary duplication. We continue to develop options to deliver the Grenfell Inquiry recommendation on principal contractor licensing to ensure principal contractors working on higher-risk buildings are appropriately qualified and competent. Future reforms will be informed by the duty holder review and our call for evidence, including consideration of how existing assurance arrangements support competence. We expect to publish the findings from the review in late 2026.

In April 2026, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) published a plan to reduce remediation delays and improve application handling. Since then, BSR has increased capacity through a dedicated remediation multidisciplinary team, drawing on the successful dedicated team adopted for New Build applications in August 2025. BSR has also introduced Remediation Account Managers, redeployed staff to priority areas, and strengthened internal processes.

BSR has worked with industry to improve application quality through new remediation guidance, targeted communications, improved data sharing, and greater transparency on application progress. These measures have delivered significant improvements. Between April and August 2026, the proportion of remediation applications approved within 42 weeks increased from 72% to 89%, while average assessment times reduced from 42 weeks to 33 weeks. Assessment times are expected to reduce further as recent applications are being determined more quickly.

We acknowledge that there are many legitimate non-profit organisations that are established as companies. These companies may still be eligible to make donations, provided they can provide evidence of income equivalent to profit, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

Non-profit community interest companies will also need to demonstrate that they meet all other permissibility criteria; they must be headquartered and incorporated in the UK, carrying out business in the UK, and where there are Persons of Significant Control, they must be UK electors or British citizens.

Progress of remediation projects can be delayed by a range of factors, including supply chain issues and contractor liquidations. Government actively supports remediation projects to consider and account for disruptive factors in their remediation plans. We engage and monitor major suppliers and contractors, including ongoing pressures stemming from disruption in the Middle East. Our monitoring indicates that across the sector as a whole, supply chain and contractor stress are not currently a major bottleneck to remediation.

Nine years on from the Grenfell tragedy, there is no justification for any building to remain unsafe. The Government is committed to ensuring that residents are at the heart of the remediation process and that buildings with unsafe cladding are made safer as quickly as possible.

Our Remediation Acceleration Plan set out measures to speed up remediation, strengthen oversight and improve support for residents. We have laid the groundwork to ensure every priority residential building with unsafe cladding is remediated. The Remediation Bill will give regulators additional powers to compel those blocking remediation to act or risk criminal prosecution.

To support affected residents, we work with the Building Safety Regulator, building owners, developers, and other responsible parties to address barriers to remediation and minimise avoidable delays.

Residents should be kept informed of progress on remediation and expected timelines, in line with the Code of Practice for the Remediation of Residential Buildings. In addition, the Remediation Acceleration Plan announced plans to introduce a Legal Duty to Remediate and other measures intended to ensure remediation is completed to clear timescales and that residents are supported throughout the process

The Building Safety Regulator has implemented improvements to accelerate processing of gateway applications for 18m+ buildings, including increasing operational capacity, targeted support for applicants and engagement with applicants. These changes are contributing to faster assessments while maintaining robust regulatory oversight.

The Government is taking forward a range of measures to reduce wildfire risk and improve the resilience of our landscapes and communities. Land managers are encouraged to assess wildfire risk and implement proportionate wildfire management plans, including measures such as managing vegetation and fuel loads, creating and maintaining fire and fuel breaks, restoring peatlands and wetlands, and improving access for firefighting. These measures are supported through Environmental Land Management schemes and Countryside Stewardship options.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is working closely with Defra and other partners to consider further measures to reduce wildfire risk, including approaches to land management, access for firefighting and the protection of communities and property. This work will inform the Government’s forthcoming Wildfire Summit and Action Plan.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is the independent body responsible for setting electoral arrangements for councils. However, it cannot undertake an electoral review until a new council has been established in law. Where a proposal is implemented, councils are asked to suggest interim electoral arrangements for inclusion in the legislation establishing the new authority. Neither councils nor Ministers have the power to draw new electoral boundaries through this process. Instead, interim arrangements must be based on existing electoral areas, including district wards, county divisions, parishes and parish wards. Councils are expected to have regard to the Commission's published guidance when developing their suggestions, and the Commission offered support to councils undertaking this work earlier in the year.

On 7 September 2026, the Secretary of State announced that implementation of local government reorganisation decisions would be paused in a number of areas while the Government considers next steps for the programme. Proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, where no decision has yet been taken, will also be considered as part of that process.

The Secretary of State also set out the expectation that elections scheduled for May 2027 will proceed for existing councils. In light of that position and the review, the Government is not currently progressing work on interim warding arrangements and will set out any future requirements relating to local government reorganisation following consideration of these matters.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is the independent body responsible for setting electoral arrangements for councils. However, it cannot undertake an electoral review until a new council has been established in law. Where a proposal is implemented, councils are asked to suggest interim electoral arrangements for inclusion in the legislation establishing the new authority. Neither councils nor Ministers have the power to draw new electoral boundaries through this process. Instead, interim arrangements must be based on existing electoral areas, including district wards, county divisions, parishes and parish wards. Councils are expected to have regard to the Commission's published guidance when developing their suggestions, and the Commission offered support to councils undertaking this work earlier in the year.

On 7 September 2026, the Secretary of State announced that implementation of local government reorganisation decisions would be paused in a number of areas while the Government considers next steps for the programme. Proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, where no decision has yet been taken, will also be considered as part of that process.

The Secretary of State also set out the expectation that elections scheduled for May 2027 will proceed for existing councils. In light of that position and the review, the Government is not currently progressing work on interim warding arrangements and will set out any future requirements relating to local government reorganisation following consideration of these matters.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is the independent body responsible for setting electoral arrangements for councils. However, it cannot undertake an electoral review until a new council has been established in law. Where a proposal is implemented, councils are asked to suggest interim electoral arrangements for inclusion in the legislation establishing the new authority. Neither councils nor Ministers have the power to draw new electoral boundaries through this process. Instead, interim arrangements must be based on existing electoral areas, including district wards, county divisions, parishes and parish wards. Councils are expected to have regard to the Commission's published guidance when developing their suggestions, and the Commission offered support to councils undertaking this work earlier in the year.

On 7 September 2026, the Secretary of State announced that implementation of local government reorganisation decisions would be paused in a number of areas while the Government considers next steps for the programme. Proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, where no decision has yet been taken, will also be considered as part of that process.

The Secretary of State also set out the expectation that elections scheduled for May 2027 will proceed for existing councils. In light of that position and the review, the Government is not currently progressing work on interim warding arrangements and will set out any future requirements relating to local government reorganisation following consideration of these matters.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is the independent body responsible for setting electoral arrangements for councils. However, it cannot undertake an electoral review until a new council has been established in law. Where a proposal is implemented, councils are asked to suggest interim electoral arrangements for inclusion in the legislation establishing the new authority. Neither councils nor Ministers have the power to draw new electoral boundaries through this process. Instead, interim arrangements must be based on existing electoral areas, including district wards, county divisions, parishes and parish wards. Councils are expected to have regard to the Commission's published guidance when developing their suggestions, and the Commission offered support to councils undertaking this work earlier in the year.

On 7 September 2026, the Secretary of State announced that implementation of local government reorganisation decisions would be paused in a number of areas while the Government considers next steps for the programme. Proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, where no decision has yet been taken, will also be considered as part of that process.

The Secretary of State also set out the expectation that elections scheduled for May 2027 will proceed for existing councils. In light of that position and the review, the Government is not currently progressing work on interim warding arrangements and will set out any future requirements relating to local government reorganisation following consideration of these matters.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is the independent body responsible for setting electoral arrangements for councils. However, it cannot undertake an electoral review until a new council has been established in law. Where a proposal is implemented, councils are asked to suggest interim electoral arrangements for inclusion in the legislation establishing the new authority. Neither councils nor Ministers have the power to draw new electoral boundaries through this process. Instead, interim arrangements must be based on existing electoral areas, including district wards, county divisions, parishes and parish wards. Councils are expected to have regard to the Commission's published guidance when developing their suggestions, and the Commission offered support to councils undertaking this work earlier in the year.

On 7 September 2026, the Secretary of State announced that implementation of local government reorganisation decisions would be paused in a number of areas while the Government considers next steps for the programme. Proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, where no decision has yet been taken, will also be considered as part of that process.

The Secretary of State also set out the expectation that elections scheduled for May 2027 will proceed for existing councils. In light of that position and the review, the Government is not currently progressing work on interim warding arrangements and will set out any future requirements relating to local government reorganisation following consideration of these matters.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is the independent body responsible for setting electoral arrangements for councils. However, it cannot undertake an electoral review until a new council has been established in law. Where a proposal is implemented, councils are asked to suggest interim electoral arrangements for inclusion in the legislation establishing the new authority. Neither councils nor Ministers have the power to draw new electoral boundaries through this process. Instead, interim arrangements must be based on existing electoral areas, including district wards, county divisions, parishes and parish wards. Councils are expected to have regard to the Commission's published guidance when developing their suggestions, and the Commission offered support to councils undertaking this work earlier in the year.

On 7 September 2026, the Secretary of State announced that implementation of local government reorganisation decisions would be paused in a number of areas while the Government considers next steps for the programme. Proposals for local government reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, where no decision has yet been taken, will also be considered as part of that process.

The Secretary of State also set out the expectation that elections scheduled for May 2027 will proceed for existing councils. In light of that position and the review, the Government is not currently progressing work on interim warding arrangements and will set out any future requirements relating to local government reorganisation following consideration of these matters.

As set out in Protecting What Matters, the Government’s plan setting out steps to improve social cohesion, faith and belief groups, including religious institutions, play an important role in bringing people together, building trust across difference, and supporting communities to respond to local challenges.

We see this contribution in practice through the involvement of faith and belief groups in numerous different programmes. As a part of the Pride in Place Programme, many faith and belief groups are playing an active role in local decision making to improve their area. Through projects being developed under the Common Ground Resilience Fund, local authorities and community organisations – including faith and belief groups – are being supported to strengthen relationships between different communities and build resilience to local tensions. Through long-standing government funded programmes such as Near Neighbours, faith and belief groups are helping to bring people together in religiously and ethnically diverse communities; and through Inter Faith Week they are helping to celebrate and promote the role of faith communities in building understanding and friendship across difference.

All of these examples underscore why the Government made a number of commitments in Protecting What Matters to work with and celebrate faith and belief communities in order to improve societal understanding of different religions and beliefs, support tolerance, and help build a more cohesive and resilient country.

Following the devastating wildfires this summer, the Prime Minister has committed to holding a Wildfire Summit later this year. The summit will bring together a range of partners to turn the lessons of the exceptional wildfire and extreme heat events of 2026 into practical action.

We recognise that clear public information helps stop wildfires starting and helps people protect themselves and their property. We are making wildfire advice more visible, including through social media during high-risk periods, the Cabinet Office Prepare website, the Fire Kills campaign and StayWise, the NFCC-led education platform. We will consider what more we can do as part of the wildfire summit.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) collects information on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in England.

The table below shows the number of fires attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England in buildings recorded as churches, chapels or cathedrals in each of the last five financial years.

The number of fires attended in churches, chapels and cathedrals has fluctuated over the last five years. While there were 80 such fires in in 2025/26, compared with 72 in 2021/22, the highest number of incidents during this period was recorded in 2022/23, when Fire and Rescue Services attended 94 fires in churches, chapels and cathedrals.

The figures are derived from the Department's Incident Level Datasets (ILDs), which are published as part of the Fire Statistics collection. Specifically, the analysis is based on the Other Building Fires dataset and identifies incidents where the buildingtype variable is recorded as "Church / Chapel / Cathedral".

Further information on fire incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services is available at:

Fire statistics collection

Fire statistics data tables

Fire statistics incident level datasets

The Right to Request was introduced by the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, and allows Mayors of Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities to submit requests for new powers and funding, and the Government then has six months to respond. This process is specific to the powers and funding for strategic authorities, and which levers over growth and public services need to be devolved down from Westminster and Whitehall.

As outlined in the Rewiring the State publication on 31 July, the Government will be working in partnership with local authorities and the community sector, alongside strategic authorities and other local partners, to develop our white paper on how the state will be rewired to ensure we are delivering good growth and public services in every postcode. Devolution is not just about transferring new powers to strategic authorities, and we are committed to strengthening the role of local authorities and communities across the country.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to UIN 19120 on 1 September 2026.

The Government committed to undertaking a full technical review of Part O of the Building Regulations in its response to the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation. This review, which is being led by the Building Safety Regulator, is now underway.

The review will consider whether any changes to Part O or the associated statutory guidance are needed, informed by evidence from the 2023 call for evidence and stakeholder feedback. Ministers will consider how best to proceed once the review has concluded.

Fire and Rescue Authorities are responsible for assessing and planning for wildfire risk locally through their Community Risk Management Plans and work with other responders to ensure appropriate preparedness. National resilience arrangements provide additional support to Fire and Rescue Services, including through mutual aid and the deployment of specialist national assets.

MHCLG has recently announced a £97 million investment to upgrade National Resilience assets and equipment. Part of this funding includes a pilot national wildfire response capability with specialist firefighters, equipment and training positioned across England to support Fire and Rescue Services during major incidents.

The Prime Minister announced that he will chair a Wildfire Summit in the autumn, which will provide an opportunity to continue to consider how our national response capabilities, including aerial assets, can be strengthened, including through collaboration across the UK.

Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) are responsible for assessing risks that may impact their local area through Community Risk Registers and for developing plans against a range of nationally and locally identified risks, informed by the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) and associated planning assumptions. Risks within the NSRA are assessed against reasonable worst-case scenarios with input from relevant subject matter experts. The NSRA assigns clear ownership of risks to the relevant Lead Government Department and considers both specific risks and their wider consequences through linked and cascading scenarios.

Food-related risks are considered within the national risk framework, including through risks owned by DEFRA and the Food Standards Agency. Decisions on food supply planning assumptions and food resilience policy therefore sit primarily with DEFRA as the Lead Government Department.

The Common Ground Resilience Fund 2026-27 will support a range of activity to strengthen social cohesion, build resilience and respond to community tensions. This includes funding for locally led interventions in Blackpool Council, Nottingham City Council and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, and support for local authorities through the Government's Areas Team.

Up to £2.5 million will also be awarded through the Common Ground Award, a competitive grant scheme for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations working to strengthen social cohesion and build connections between communities. Successful organisations will be identified through the competition process. Funding is also available to support local areas in responding to emerging cohesion risks and threats.

Separately, the Government has made available an additional £1 million through the Common Ground Resilience Fund to support communities and places facing the greatest risk of antisemitism.

We recognise that clear public information helps stop wildfires starting and helps people protect themselves and their property. We are making wildfire advice more visible, including through social media during high-risk periods, the Cabinet Office Prepare website and through educational resources made freely available on the online StayWise platform as the educational arm of the Department’s Fire Kills campaign.

As part of the upcoming Wildfire Summit and the Acton Plan being developed, we will consider what more we can do to drive improvements across wildfire as a risk.

Details of the role of the Special Representative on anti-Muslim hostility will be published in due course.

It is for individual organisations and employers to determine which training offer and provider is best suited to their sectors. As set-out in Protecting What Matters, tackling religious hatred requires a whole-of-society response, and improving understanding across society of how religious hatred manifests and how it should be addressed is vital.

The Government frequently discusses relevant matters with the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The Commission is an independent statutory body, and decisions on adoption of the definition are a matter for the Commission.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the UK's political finance framework remains robust and commands public confidence.

We are establishing a cross-government task and finish team to consider the issues threatening UK democracy, including political funding, illegitimate influence, and broader threats to political equality.

Further details will be available in due course.

Whichever consenting route is used – NSIP regime or Town and Country Planning regime, data centre proposals must comply with the relevant national planning policy and environmental protections, including those relating to landscape character, agricultural land, protected habitats and designated site.

For proposals considered through the TCPA regime, the National Planning Policy Framework is clear that development proposals should conserve and enhance landscape character, including placing substantial weight on the statutory purposes of Protected Landscapes, and take into account the quality of agricultural land. The National Planning Policy Framework also sets out specific provisions concerning the protection of designated sites, including Sites of Specific Scientific Interest.

The Government is also preparing a new National Policy Statement for data centres. Once designated, this will set out the relevant national policy framework for decision-making on data centre projects that proceed through the NSIP regime.

The Democratic Engagement Fund will provide grants to civil society organisations to deliver politically neutral, place-based activities that help people understand, engage with and participate in democracy.

Backed by £2.5 million, the Fund will provide grants ranging from £1,000 to £50,000, with most awards expected to be around £25,000. It is targeted at communities that have historically experienced lower levels of democratic participation and voter turnout.

Access to the Fund was through an open application process for eligible civil society organisations. The application window closed on 31 August 2026, with strong interest from across the sector, including many proposals focused on children and young people aged 5 to 25.

Successful organisations are expected to be informed of funding decisions in January 2027, with delivery from April 2027. The Fund will generate evidence on effective approaches to democratic engagement, informing future policy and practice, and helping to lay the foundations for increased participation and civic understanding.

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. Applicants may ask for a review on request of the housing authority’s decision that the accommodation offered to them is suitable.

The statutory Homelessness Code of Guidance encourages housing authorities to be sensitive to the importance of pets to applicants, particularly people sleeping rough and elderly people who may rely on pets for companionship and to give careful consideration to this aspect when making provision for applicants who wish to retain their pet. Local authorities 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.

Recognising the importance of pets, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced an implied term into private sector assured tenancies, that enables tenants to ask the landlord for permission to keep a pet, and when they do so consent cannot be unreasonably refused.

No specific assessment has been made of the impact on mental health and wellbeing when people experiencing homelessness are separated from a companion animal in order to have access to accommodation, or the impact that pet policies have on levels of rough sleeping.

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. Applicants may ask for a review on request of the housing authority’s decision that the accommodation offered to them is suitable.

The statutory Homelessness Code of Guidance encourages housing authorities to be sensitive to the importance of pets to applicants, particularly people sleeping rough and elderly people who may rely on pets for companionship and to give careful consideration to this aspect when making provision for applicants who wish to retain their pet. Local authorities 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.

Recognising the importance of pets, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced an implied term into private sector assured tenancies, that enables tenants to ask the landlord for permission to keep a pet, and when they do so consent cannot be unreasonably refused.

No specific assessment has been made of the impact on mental health and wellbeing when people experiencing homelessness are separated from a companion animal in order to have access to accommodation, or the impact that pet policies have on levels of rough sleeping.

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. Applicants may ask for a review on request of the housing authority’s decision that the accommodation offered to them is suitable.

The statutory Homelessness Code of Guidance encourages housing authorities to be sensitive to the importance of pets to applicants, particularly people sleeping rough and elderly people who may rely on pets for companionship and to give careful consideration to this aspect when making provision for applicants who wish to retain their pet. Local authorities 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.

Recognising the importance of pets, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced an implied term into private sector assured tenancies, that enables tenants to ask the landlord for permission to keep a pet, and when they do so consent cannot be unreasonably refused.

No specific assessment has been made of the impact on mental health and wellbeing when people experiencing homelessness are separated from a companion animal in order to have access to accommodation, or the impact that pet policies have on levels of rough sleeping.

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. Applicants may ask for a review on request of the housing authority’s decision that the accommodation offered to them is suitable.

The statutory Homelessness Code of Guidance encourages housing authorities to be sensitive to the importance of pets to applicants, particularly people sleeping rough and elderly people who may rely on pets for companionship and to give careful consideration to this aspect when making provision for applicants who wish to retain their pet. Local authorities 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.

Recognising the importance of pets, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 introduced an implied term into private sector assured tenancies, that enables tenants to ask the landlord for permission to keep a pet, and when they do so consent cannot be unreasonably refused.

No specific assessment has been made of the impact on mental health and wellbeing when people experiencing homelessness are separated from a companion animal in order to have access to accommodation, or the impact that pet policies have on levels of rough sleeping.

Data on the number of households on the housing register (waiting lists) is collected as a snapshot at 31 March each year via the Local Authority Housing Statistics (LAHS). While commentary on the findings is included in the Social Housing Lettings statistical release, no data on housing registers is collected via the Continuous Recordings of Social Housing Lettings.

The latest guidance for the LAHS is published on gov.uk here. The LAHS data is quality assured by my department’s statisticians, as per the publication’s technical notes and in line with Code of Practice for statistics. The latest available are the 2024-25 technical notes which can be found on gov.uk here.

Matters relating to discrimination, harassment and hate crime are governed by legislation, and the Government recognises the fundamental right to freedom of expression within the law. The Government has adopted a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility. The definition does not restrict lawful criticism, debate or even ridicule of religious ideas, including Islam, and is concerned with unacceptable behaviour towards people rather than the protection of belief systems.

This Government recognises that there is no “one size fits all” approach to wildfire risk management. Knowledge and expertise often must be tailored to specific landscapes, whilst techniques and methods used in all aspects of the wildfire risk cycle can be case specific.

MHCLG has recently announced a £97 million investment into the New Dimensions 2 programme which will replace and upgrade National Resilience assets and equipment. This includes a pilot national wildfire response capability with specialist firefighters, equipment and training positioned across England to support Fire and Rescue Services during major incidents.

Fire and rescue services are fully aware of the growing risk of wildfires and working with local authorities. Where aerial support is considered necessary, this is generally taken forward through locally determined arrangements with commercial providers, based on local risk, capability and operational requirements. Wildfire response is a devolved responsibility, and arrangements can vary across the devolved nations

Following the devastating wildfires this summer, the Prime Minister has committed to holding a Wildfire Summit later this year. The summit will bring together a range of partners to turn the lessons of the exceptional wildfire and extreme heat events of 2026 into practical action and will include considerations for Aerial Capabilities.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the UK's political finance framework remains robust and commands public confidence.

We are establishing a cross-government task and finish team to consider the issues threatening UK democracy, including political funding, illegitimate influence and broader threats to political equality.

Further details will be available in due course.

In March 2025, the government announced a £2 billion down-payment as part of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP). Homes England has already secured over 4,200 starts in 2025/26 through their portion of this.

In August 2026, the government announced initial funding allocations for the SAHP, with £9.58 billion being awarded to 33 Strategic Partners outside London.

In August 2026, the government announced the initial Strategic Partnership funding allocations for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP).

Across England (excluding London), 33 providers will receive funding totalling £9.58 billion to invest in new social and affordable housing and deliver 73,600 homes. These 33 providers included PRPs and councils. No funding has been allocated directly to Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSA), and whether an area has an MSA was not a factor in decision making.

Established Mayoral Strategic Authority (EMSA) areas outside London are able to set the strategic direction of the Programme in their areas. To support this, we have published an estimate of how many homes and how much funding providers expect to deliver in each of the initial six EMSA areas.

Net receipts arising from Right to Buy sales received by local housing authorities between 01 April 2012 to 31 March 2017 could contribute up to 30% to the authorities’ expenditure on replacement social housing.

The same type of receipts received between 01 April 2017 and 31 March 2019 could contribute up to 40% to the same type of expenditure.

The same type of receipts from 01 April 2019 onwards can contribute up to 100% to this expenditure.

The number of new build completions funded through Right to Buy receipts can be found in Live Table 693 which can be found on gov.uk here, while the total number of new build completions of affordable housing can be found in Live Table 1009 which can be found on gov.uk here.