Briefings and responses

Local government supports the collective national ambition to build one million new homes by 2020, but house building is currently well below the levels required for an efficient and fully functioning housing market.

The provision of supported housing is vital to ensuring vulnerable people live in suitable homes that meet their personal and all-round housing, health and care needs.

The nation is facing a housing crisis. Dealing with the crisis is vital if we are to ensure that all residents are able to benefit from economic growth.

Councils have a responsibility to support, safeguard, care for and house vulnerable members of their community. The provision of supported housing is vital to ensuring vulnerable people live in suitable homes that meet their personal and all-round housing, health and care needs.

Homelessness is a tragedy for all those it affects, and is one of the most visible signs of the nation’s housing crisis. It is damaging for individuals, families and communities, and limits peoples’ ability to play a full and active role in society and the economy.

In our response we have stressed that any model needs to be responsive to local housing need and allow councils to reflect the complexities of different housing markets.

Councils are working hard to deliver the right kind of homes, and are currently approving nine out of ten planning permissions. However, planning departments are severely under-resourced. Taxpayers are subsidising the costs of planning applications by around £200 million a year.

The national housing shortage is one of the most pressing issues we face. Councils are working with communities to ensure more homes are built, but only an increase of all types of housing – including those for affordable or social rent – will solve the housing crisis.

Councils are working hard to deliver the right kind of homes, and are currently approving nine out of ten planning permissions.

The Autumn Budget has taken a step forward by lifting the housing borrowing cap for some councils. We welcome this announcement, but it does not go far enough.