Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support youth organisations, such as YMCA England and Wales, to develop and deliver affordable and supported housing for young people.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have invested over ÂŁ1 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services this year, which can be used flexibly to address a range of local needs, including support for young people. The Spending Review protects this record level of investment to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping for the next three years.
For young people ready to live independently, we are delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation, backed by the ÂŁ39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. We are also reforming the private rented sector to give more security to tenants, bringing an end to rental bidding, outlawing discrimination against prospective tenants with children or those who receive social security benefits; and preventing landlords from demanding large amounts of rent in advance.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of improving building standards to (a) improve indoor air quality and (b) reduce exposure to damp and mould for people with respiratory conditions, including cystic fibrosis.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Effective ventilation plays an important role in maintaining good indoor air quality. The Government sets standards for this mainly through Part F (Ventilation) of the Building Regulations, which applies primarily to new buildings. Approved Document F provides guidance on meeting minimum ventilation requirements, to provide fresh air for occupant health and reduce risks from pollutants, moisture, condensation and mould.
The Government has recently published updates to Approved Document F. These changes include improvements to commissioning, testing and installer competence, and revisions made in response to concerns about design flexibility, ensuring systems work as intended once homes are occupied. The changes will come into force in March 2027 for non-Higher Risk Building Work.
Indoor air quality in existing properties is addressed separately. Awaabâs Law requires social landlords to investigate and remedy damp and mould hazards within set timescales. Private landlords are already required to provide homes that are fit for human habitation, and local authorities must take enforcement action where the most dangerous hazards, including damp and mould, are identified.
From 2035, the Government is strengthening these protections by applying the new Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of private rents on rough sleeping.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Poverty, housing availability and affordability are the root causes of homelessness and rough sleeping. In addition, people who sleep rough are more likely to have complex and overlapping support needs. The National Plan to End Homelessness acknowledges that many people on low incomes struggle to afford rising rents in an increasingly insecure private rental market. As well as abolishing Section 21 'no fault' evictions, our Rentersâ Rights Act has empowered private rented sector tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases, outlawed rental bidding and ended the practice of landlords demanding large amounts of rent in advance from tenants looking to secure a tenancy.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the effective implementation of Awaab's Law.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements made on 27 October 2025 (HCWS995) and 13 July 2026 (HCWS222).
The Rentersâ Rights Act 2025 includes powers to extend Awaabâs Law to the private rented sector, setting clear legally enforceable timeframes within which private rented sector landlords must make homes safe where they contain serious hazards. We will consult on the details of this policy, including implementation timescales, in due course.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the report by Citizens Advice entitled Building healthier foundations: How to improve access to healthy housing for all, published on 20 May 2026.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government has noted the findings of the Citizens Advice report in question and recognises the important links between housing quality, affordability, security, and health outcomes.
We have overhauled the regulation of the private rented sector; are driving a transformational and lasting change in the safety and quality of social housing; and are delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.
We recognise the pressures facing private renters and will keep Local Housing Allowance rates under review, alongside providing housing support through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 July 2026 to Question 14822 on Private Rented Housing: Ombudsman, whether The Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman will have an obligation to share evidence of non-compliance by landlords with the local authority.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We are currently working through the details of how the new PRS Landlord Ombudsman service will operate once it is launched and local authorities are being engaged to that end.
Final decisions have not yet been made in respect of the specific circumstances in which the Ombudsman must, or may, share information with local authorities.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps he has taken to ensure compliance with the (a) Equality Act 2010 and (b) Renters' Rights Act 2025 within the rented housing sector.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Rentersâ Rights Act 2025 provides local authorities with strong investigatory and enforcement powers to bear down on rental discrimination practices in the private rented sector.
It addresses both overt discriminatory practices, such as âNo DSSâ adverts, and situations where landlords or letting agents use other indirect practices in order to prevent someone entering into a tenancy.
The government is increasing ring-fenced civil penalties to support a âpolluter paysâ approach to enforcement of the new tenancy system.
In accordance with the New Burdens Doctrine, we will ensure additional net costs on local authorities resulting from the Act are fully funded. To that end, my Department is providing ÂŁ41.12 million to local housing authorities for this financial year to help them undertake their new enforcement responsibilities. This funding is in addition to the ÂŁ18.2 million provided in 2025/26.
Our aim over the long term is to establish a sustainable funding system for private rented sector enforcement based on future Private Rented Sector Database fee revenues. We will set out further details in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of damp, mould and cold housing conditions on people living with (a) COPD and (b) chronic respiratory illnesses.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has not made an assessment on the impact of damp, mould and cold homes on people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) specifically, but has quantified the health burden in the English population from key respiratory illness/conditions associated with residential exposures to damp and/or mould, as well as cold-associated mortality. In 2019, 3.4% of all homes in England were estimated to have damp and/or mould and according to the Annual fuel poverty statistics report: 2025, 11.0% English households live in fuel poverty.
The presence of damp and/or mould was associated with approximately 5,000 cases of asthma, 8,500 lower respiratory infections among children and adults, and contributed to 1% to 2% of new cases of allergic rhinitis in that year.
In addition, the first UKHSA cold mortality monitoring report for England showed significant coldâassociated mortality occurring in people whose place of death was their own home, with an estimated 864 coldâassociated deaths during the winter of 2024/25.
From October 2025, Awaabâs Law introduced a requirement for landlords to repair all emergency hazards within 24 hours and fix dangerous damp and mould within fixed timescales. The Rentersâ Rights Bill will extend Awaabâs Law to the private rented sector.
It is a requirement for rented homes to be free from category 1 hazards and this includes where they are affected by damp and mould.
The Government also publishes guidance aimed at social and private rented housing providers on understanding and addressing the health risks of mould at the following link:
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of levels of Local Housing Allowance on the ability of Universal Credit claimants to secure housing in North Northumberland.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum financial support available for renters receiving housing support in the private rented sector. LHA rates are not intended to meet all rents in all areas.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions reviewed LHA at the 2025 Autumn Budget and announced that rates would be maintained at their current levels for 2026/27. A range of factors, such as rent levels across the country were considered against the fiscal context and the level of housing support that Government provides overall.
Renters receiving housing support who face a shortfall in meeting their rent costs can apply for a Crisis and Resilience Fund Housing Payment from local authorities in England.
Asked by: Adam Dance (Liberal Democrat - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the affordability of rented properties in Yeovil constituency for people who rely on Local Housing Allowance.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum financial support available for renters in the private rented sector. LHA rates are not intended to meet all rents in all areas.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions reviewed Local Housing Allowance (LHA) at the 2025 Autumn Budget and announced that rates would be maintained at their current levels for 2026/27. A range of factors, such as rent levels across the country were considered against the fiscal context and the level of housing support that Government provides overall.
Renters receiving housing support who face a shortfall in meeting their rent costs can apply for a Crisis and Resilience Fund Housing Payment from local authorities in England.