Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to prevent almshouses from being sold under right to buy; and if he will take steps to help ensure that their status will be protected.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
Almshouse accommodation is not eligible for the Right to Buy.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has plans to bring forward secondary legislation on the regulation of almshouses.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 194656 on 24 July 2023.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a new regulatory body for almshouses.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to my answer to Question UIN 194656 on 24 July 2023.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
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 Rachel Maclean
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: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling alms houses to access section 106 funding in the same way as housing associations.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
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 Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
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 Rachel Maclean
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 Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
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 Rachel Maclean
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: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to update the National Planning Policy Framework to (a) reflect the affordability of almshouses and (b) include them in the definition of affordable housing.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Where almshouse organisations are registered with the Regulator of Social Housing and are letting homes at Social or Affordable Rent, or providing low-cost home ownership through shared ownership schemes, those homes are likely to fall within the definition of affordable housing in the National Planning Policy Framework.
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 will be publishing a response to that consultation in due course.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps to help ensure that almshouse charities are regulated on a basis appropriate to small charities.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Both the Charity Commission and the Regulator of Social Housing have regulatory roles in relation to almshouse charities that are also registered providers of social housing.
Under charity law, the regulatory requirements that apply to charities are proportionate, with smaller charities subject to fewer or less detailed regulatory and transparency requirements. This includes almshouse charities.
Registration with the Regulator of Social Housing is voluntary for almshouse charities, and a number of almshouses do choose to register. Where almshouses are registered with the Regulator of Social Housing, they are required to meet the Regulator’s standards.
Asked by: Siobhain McDonagh (Labour - Mitcham and Morden)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
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 - Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Commons)
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.