The Housing Forum
@housingforum.org.uk
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A Quality Home For All - The cross-sector, public & private #ukhousing industry membership body representing 150+ organisations. RT ≠ endorsement https://housingforum.org.uk/
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The shortlist for Building Awards' Best Housing Project has been published - in partnership with The Housing Forum.

Creative design, clever use of challenging infill sites and impressive eco credentials - do take a look for inspiration on what can be achieved. www.building.co.uk/building-awa...
Building Awards 2025 shortlists: Housing Project of the Year
In a series celebrating the Building Awards finalists, we look at the shortlist for Housing Project of the Year, in partnership with The Housing Forum
www.building.co.uk
Reposted by The Housing Forum
If private rents are not accessible to people on low incomes:
- people become homeless and go to the council for help, instead of finding a new private rental
- councils cannot rehouse into the PRS
- social tenants rarely move out - causing the decline in relets seen in recent years.
Reposted by The Housing Forum
Homelessness stats just out show another new record in households (132k) and children (172k) living in temporary accommodation. Up 7.5% in last year
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Reposted by The Housing Forum
Less than 40% of construction students go on to careers in the industry.
We’re working to change this.

There is already some exciting progress happening within our Partner a College pilot – watch this space.
Reposted by The Housing Forum
Our new report, with the 1.5m Home Campaign is now out: housingforum.org.uk/wp-content/u...
It reveals the top 10 things councils believe hold them back from delivering more homes. Viability and funding top the list.
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This is excellent news for everyone involved in housing & planning. I know I'm biased because Alex is one of my co-hosts on the Planning After Dark podcast but she really is an excellent choice by the @housingforum.org.uk
Our new report, with the 1.5m Home Campaign is now out: housingforum.org.uk/wp-content/u...
It reveals the top 10 things councils believe hold them back from delivering more homes. Viability and funding top the list.
Reposted by The Housing Forum
Reposted by The Housing Forum
Full details of what the Government is proposing to speed up property transactions now out - www.gov.uk/government/c...

The reasons for tackling this problem are pretty clear:
Reposted by The Housing Forum
A depressing set of stats from the HBF. The new Government has been trying to reform planning so why is this happening?

- New Planning Bill hasn't passed yet, nor have the new higher housing targets come into effect in most areas
- Housing market isn't strong
- Viability on small sites collapsing
Reposted by The Housing Forum
Build, build, build isn't much use as mantra if you then leave the new homes sitting empty for a year or more while the Building Safety Regulator gets round to approving them.

This process used to take a matter of days when local authorities were in charge of it. news.sky.com/story/bluesk...
Hundreds of empty flats that developers say sum up UK's housing crisis
Sir Keir Starmer has made house building one of his government's priorities, and regularly rails against NIMBY culture. But Sky News can reveal the government's own regulator has also been getting in ...
news.sky.com
The Building Safety Regulator's slow decision making and high number of refusals at 'Gateway 2' are grinding housebuilding to a halt in London especially.

And new evidence is starting to emerge of similar delays at Gateway 3 - which is is after the new homes are built, and ready to occupy:
We analysed data which showed that rents have fallen in real terms over the last 10 years. Average rents in 2014 were £92.30/wk. If they had kept up with inflation, they'd be £123.73, or if they’d kept up with earnings, they’d be £129.70. Instead they’re £109.44. housingforum.org.uk/reports/key-...
Recent trends in social rents and affordability : The Housing Forum
The Government is currently consulting on changes to social rents, which will allow the rent on some homes to increase gradually until they converge with their ‘target rent’. To help inform the discus...
housingforum.org.uk
This would reduce the risk of stock deterioration, improve the quality and supply of much-needed affordable homes and improve the financial stability of the sector.
We support rent convergence at rates of at least £2 per week. Many of our members would prefer to see a £3 cap, which would be on a par with the £2 cap that was used under the previous period of rent convergence, from 2012, adjusted for inflation.
We previously expressed concerns around proposals to use policy compliance to determine which applications go to committee, when this is rarely black and white. We are pleased to see that the Government has listened to these concerns and proposed criteria which look to be much more practical.
The Housing Forum responds to the Government's consultation on planning committees. : The Housing Forum
The Housing Forum has responded to the Government’s consultation on planning committees. You can read our responses in full here, Reform of planning committees consultation – response from The Housing...
housingforum.org.uk
Reducing the number of applications that go to committee would also reduce pressure on local planning departments, and could help improve the job-satisfaction and staff retention of professional planners, as they are being trusted to make more decisions.