Raising the profile of housing in the British Isles

Gavin Smart, Deputy Chief Executive Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

Overall context

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Recovery - A long haul

Source: NIESR Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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Unequal recovery?

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A nation of borrowers

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Growth of market renting

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House prices

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Housing Affordability

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Government housing investment

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Housing policy in the nations

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Scotland

• New Housing Act 2014 • Abolition of RTB - two year ‘notice period’ for existing eligible tenants - RTB ends 2016 • Bedroom tax – transfer of DHP with a view to “full mitigation” • Continuation of social rent • Housing, health and social care integration • All unintentional homeless entitled to secure accommodation – homelessness applications down 40% • What happens post-referendum?

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Northern Ireland

• Continuing debate around future/reform of NI Housing Exec • Possible introduction of planning gain for affordable housing • Northern Ireland RTB equivalent scheme in Housing Executive or HA tenants max discount £24,000 • Reductions in investment in affordable housing • Political appreciation of role of affordable housing • Major institutional reform – move to “super councils” Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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Wales

• First Housing (Wales) Act next month   National PRS licensing scheme New stat. duty to provide homeless prevention service for all • “Welsh solutions for Welsh problems”        Welsh housing bond 10k Affordable homes target Focus on developing cooperative housing Renting homes act for whole-scale tenancy reform Collaboration and coproduction - One-housing system under welsh government ‘system stewardship’ Housing led regeneration HRAs end March 2015 • RTB max discount £16k suspension allowed in areas of housing pressure for up to five years Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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England

• 65% cut in Affordable Housing Programme & affordable rent • Increasing use of guarantees and financial instruments   £1bn to kick start institutionally funded market rent development Also affordable housing guarantee • Welfare Reform – without mitigation • Localism • Strong focus on supply • Preference for incentives • Concentration on home ownership • Help to Buy – 1 and 2 • New regulatory framework • HRA reform - £300m extra, but caps in place Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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UK wide

• Austerity – further cuts to come? £12bn more from welfare?

• Welfare Reform – with some local variation • Social Security total spend • Financial Regulation e.g. Mortgage Market Review & Bank regulation • Interest rates Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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Conclusions

• Devolution of housing policy is increasingly marked • Something of an England vs Devolved Nations flavour?

  English housing policy very market driven with preference for “small state” approaches where possible NI closest to English approach?

• Devolved nations are not homogenous, but sense of similarity of approach/philosophy • Critical related policy and economic levers remain non-devolved Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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Housing and public opinion

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The big issues today

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The big issues long term

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Where is housing?

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Don’t (always) believe the papers - 1

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Don’t (always) believe the papers - 2

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Don’t (always) believe the papers - 3

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Geographical differences

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Housing and the Westminster election

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Westminster election – some thoughts • Post-devolution Westminster relationship to housing beyond England indirect & harder to understand • But it can set the context • England can still export ideas elsewhere e.g. Welsh experiments with something like affordable rent • Currently less traffic the other way • Housing will be a key topic • Some English housing policy decisions will have Barnet consequences • Westminster still controls welfare, economics and tax & spend envelope Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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What happens after May 2015?

• Differentiation continues • Continued “marketisation” in England?

• Revival of social housing in England if Labour win?

• Austerity remains • Wales & Scotland continue direction of travel  Does referendum adjust pace in Scotland? Or direction of travel too?

• NI – big decisions still up for grabs Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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CIH & the Westminster election

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Some headline asks from CIH

• Increasing supply is critical • Great variety of products at more price points needed  Clear role for LCHO & social rent • Capital investment by government works • LAs can do more – borrowing caps raised or abolished • Standards are as important as numbers  Lifetime homes, wheelchair standard • We need new entrants to the market • Regeneration & neighbourhoods need more attention • PRS is critically important – policies needed to incentivise standards & reward performance • Bedroom Tax needs to go • Greater focus on older people & specialised housing more generally Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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How do we make the case for housing?

• Clear, high level asks & easy to understand messages • Work together – concentrate on what we agree about  Homes for Britain • Demonstrate the problem and the consequences • Show what housing achieves    Outcomes matter Housing supports other policy goals e.g. economic growth, health, education etc.

Good evidence is critical • Make the case yourself! Be a local advocate for housing • Engage with voters & with politicians Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org

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Conclusions

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Conclusions

• There is work to do in every part of the UK • Our national housing systems are related and still do not work well • Policy is increasingly differentiated  But we still speak broadly the same policy language • The public do care about housing – but they worry about it too… • Westminster election is important for housing • We can do more to make the case • And there is everything to play for!

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Thank you

[email protected]

Follow me on Twitter:

@GavinSmartCIH

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