Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on taking steps to help support (a) Merton Council’s London Borough of Sport programme and (b) other local authority-led initiatives to increase physical activity.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
DCMS, as the lead department for the Government's arm's-length body Sport England, is investing up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding into more than 90 locations across England. This investment is being delivered in partnership with local organisations in the communities that need it most, helping more people to live active and healthier lives for longer.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what guidance his Department issues to local planning authorities on support for almshouses that are not Regulated Social Landlords under the terms of section 106 affordable housing.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The department does not issue guidance to local planning authorities specifically on this matter. It is up to local planning authorities to determine what contributions should be sought through Section 106 agreements, in line with statutory tests on their use set out in regulation 122 of the Community Infrastructure Regulations 2010. The department has published guidance on planning obligations to support local authorities with their use.
As part of the National Planning Policy Framework consultation between 22 December 2022 and 2 March 2023, we sought views on how we can help bring forward more community-led housing, including almshouses. We expect to publish a response to the consultation this Autumn.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to include almshouses in the National Planning Policy Framework definition of affordable housing.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 185863 on 30 May 2023.
Almshouses play a valuable role in providing homes for communities across the country. Registration with the Regulator of Social Housing is voluntary for almshouses, and a number of almshouses do choose to register. Where almshouses are registered with the Regulator, they are required to meet the Regulator's economic and consumer standards.
Affordable housing contributions in Section 106 agreements are negotiated between local planning authorities and developers.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to bring forward proposals on the regulation of almshouses.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 185863 on 30 May 2023.
Almshouses play a valuable role in providing homes for communities across the country. Registration with the Regulator of Social Housing is voluntary for almshouses, and a number of almshouses do choose to register. Where almshouses are registered with the Regulator, they are required to meet the Regulator's economic and consumer standards.
Affordable housing contributions in Section 106 agreements are negotiated between local planning authorities and developers.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of average changes in levels of (a) rent and (b) service changes for shared ownership tenants in housing associations over the last two years on tenants affected.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Shared ownership rents are increased annually in accordance with the terms of the lease. We are however aware of the impact that inflation has had on rents. That is why we welcome the fact that housing associations representing 95% of the sector's shared ownership homes have confirmed - through the National Housing Federation - that they will voluntarily limit rent increases to no more than 7% in 2023-24. We are pleased to note that a significant number of for-profit providers and local authorities have also chosen to adopt this approach. This is a sensible and proportionate measure to protect shared owners from particularly high rent increases, in response to cost of living concerns.
Service charges must reflect the cost of providing services to leaseholders and they should be supplied with clear information about how their charges are set, including any increases. If a shared ownership leaseholder is dissatisfied with this process, they can make an official complaint to their landlord. If this does not resolve the matter, they may be able to ask the Housing Ombudsman to investigate the complaint in some cases. The Ombudsman does not investigate complaints about the level of service charges (or the level of increase), but it may investigate complaints about the calculation, collection, or communication of service charges.
The Government recognises that the existing statutory requirements do not go far enough to enable leaseholders to identify and challenge unfair costs. We will take action to support and empower leasehold homeowners and are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of average changes in levels of rent for shared ownership tenants in housing associations over the last two years.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Shared ownership rents are increased annually in accordance with the terms of the lease. We are however aware of the impact that inflation has had on rents. That is why we welcome the fact that housing associations representing 95% of the sector's shared ownership homes have confirmed - through the National Housing Federation - that they will voluntarily limit rent increases to no more than 7% in 2023-24. We are pleased to note that a significant number of for-profit providers and local authorities have also chosen to adopt this approach. This is a sensible and proportionate measure to protect shared owners from particularly high rent increases, in response to cost of living concerns.
Service charges must reflect the cost of providing services to leaseholders and they should be supplied with clear information about how their charges are set, including any increases. If a shared ownership leaseholder is dissatisfied with this process, they can make an official complaint to their landlord. If this does not resolve the matter, they may be able to ask the Housing Ombudsman to investigate the complaint in some cases. The Ombudsman does not investigate complaints about the level of service charges (or the level of increase), but it may investigate complaints about the calculation, collection, or communication of service charges.
The Government recognises that the existing statutory requirements do not go far enough to enable leaseholders to identify and challenge unfair costs. We will take action to support and empower leasehold homeowners and are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the average increase in service charges for shared ownership tenants in housing associations in the last two years.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Shared ownership rents are increased annually in accordance with the terms of the lease. We are however aware of the impact that inflation has had on rents. That is why we welcome the fact that housing associations representing 95% of the sector's shared ownership homes have confirmed - through the National Housing Federation - that they will voluntarily limit rent increases to no more than 7% in 2023-24. We are pleased to note that a significant number of for-profit providers and local authorities have also chosen to adopt this approach. This is a sensible and proportionate measure to protect shared owners from particularly high rent increases, in response to cost of living concerns.
Service charges must reflect the cost of providing services to leaseholders and they should be supplied with clear information about how their charges are set, including any increases. If a shared ownership leaseholder is dissatisfied with this process, they can make an official complaint to their landlord. If this does not resolve the matter, they may be able to ask the Housing Ombudsman to investigate the complaint in some cases. The Ombudsman does not investigate complaints about the level of service charges (or the level of increase), but it may investigate complaints about the calculation, collection, or communication of service charges.
The Government recognises that the existing statutory requirements do not go far enough to enable leaseholders to identify and challenge unfair costs. We will take action to support and empower leasehold homeowners and are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to limit (a) rent and (b) service charge increases for shared ownership tenants in line with inflation.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Shared ownership rents are increased annually in accordance with the terms of the lease. We are however aware of the impact that inflation has had on rents. That is why we welcome the fact that housing associations representing 95% of the sector's shared ownership homes have confirmed - through the National Housing Federation - that they will voluntarily limit rent increases to no more than 7% in 2023-24. We are pleased to note that a significant number of for-profit providers and local authorities have also chosen to adopt this approach. This is a sensible and proportionate measure to protect shared owners from particularly high rent increases, in response to cost of living concerns.
Service charges must reflect the cost of providing services to leaseholders and they should be supplied with clear information about how their charges are set, including any increases. If a shared ownership leaseholder is dissatisfied with this process, they can make an official complaint to their landlord. If this does not resolve the matter, they may be able to ask the Housing Ombudsman to investigate the complaint in some cases. The Ombudsman does not investigate complaints about the level of service charges (or the level of increase), but it may investigate complaints about the calculation, collection, or communication of service charges.
The Government recognises that the existing statutory requirements do not go far enough to enable leaseholders to identify and challenge unfair costs. We will take action to support and empower leasehold homeowners and are due to bring forward further leasehold reforms later in this Parliament.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether almshouse charities will continue to be exempt from the Right to Buy as part of the review on extending that policy to housing association tenants.
Answered by Marcus Jones
This Government is committed to the Right to Buy, which has helped nearly two million social housing tenants to realise their dream of home ownership. The Prime Minister announced on 9 June 2022 the intention to extend the Right to Buy to housing association tenants.
We will be working closely with the housing association sector as we develop the new scheme, including on the homes which will be eligible for sale. Under the 2015 voluntary agreement with housing associations, certain types of homes including alms houses and housing cooperatives were excluded from the Voluntary Right to Buy scheme and consideration will be given to this and other possible exemptions under a forthcoming scheme.
More details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department took to engage with the social housing sector whilst devising its guidance for delivering the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Answered by Neil O'Brien - Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development)
The primary goal of the UKSPF is to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities worked with a range of local government, devolved government and sector specific stakeholders when developing the fund. Places are encouraged to work with a diverse range of local stakeholders, appropriate groups and organisations to develop their investment plan.