Talks of needing a long-term plan for housing have been occurring for several years now, with the National Housing Federation (NHF) launching their long-term plan for housing campaign last year.
With the new Labour government now settling into place, the need for a long-term plan is rearing its head again.
The NHF has continued the Plan for Housing campaign, ramping up calls for change and encouraging the sector to band together to give policy suggestions and keep the pressure on the government to commit to a permanent plan.
The UK is still in the midst of a housing crisis, and now more than ever there needs to be objectives set in place to ensure a positive future for housing.
A long-term plan is needed, as there is only so long we can borrow from tomorrow to serve today. Having a strategy will be crucial in ensuring the stability of the sector, and the government needs to deliver on this.
Why Is A Long Term Plan Important?
In 2023, when first emphasising the need for a long-term housing plan, the NHF put it best in their report: ‘A decent, affordable home is as essential as having clean air to breathe, and should be a right for us all, wherever we live across the country. It is the foundation of our health, happiness and prosperity.’
Affordable housing located near employment, schools, and essential services serves as a foundation for vibrant and flourishing communities.
A long-term plan is an essential, as housing is an essential. To ensure that affordable, decent homes are accessible for all, there must be a strategy. 8.5 million people in England can’t access the housing they need, and this has to change.
It is essential to establish a transparent, long-term strategy to address housing demand, focused on specific, measurable results that can foster meaningful progress each year.
The absence of such a strategy has contributed to the current housing crisis. The challenges we encounter regarding housing are deeply rooted and systemic.
A clear plan ahead drives long-term investment, in both existing and new homes. It would help the larger system too, feeding into cross-government policy change in not only housing but health, net zero and much more.
The high quality, affordable homes resulting from this plan would improve local economies and the health, wellbeing and incomes of the people that live there. Investing directly in constructing new houses and updating as well as overseeing current properties would create employment opportunities and boost development across all regions.
Establishing lasting confidence and a clear strategic vision would transform the perspectives of both public and private sectors on housing. This would facilitate fresh funding and innovation, encourage local investment, enhance supply chains, and promote financial stability.
The current approach with housing policy has been short-termist, and this needs to end. Housing needs to have a certain future to look ahead to, and the government needs to drive this change.
What Has The Government Said So Far?
The Labour Government has committed itself to the creation of a long-term plan for housing.
On July 30th, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner announced the government’s intention to publish a long-term housing strategy.
Rayner’s speech set out planning reforms, reintroduced mandatory housing targets and acknowledged the need for stability in social housing rent policy. She also announced the launch of the National Policy Planning Framework (NPPF) consultation which ran until the autumn.
In the Autumn Budget, the government restated its commitment to the sector, alongside education and the NHS, declaring them essential parts of the UK’s infrastructure. They announced a £500m top-up to the Affordable Homes Programme, something that has been urgently called for, as well as a review of Right to Buy discounts and a consultation on a new rent settlement at Consumer Price Index plus 1%.
This will provide much-needed stability for the sector, but this is only in the short-term. As we look ahead to the new year, there needs to be a plan that does more than just immediate patchwork.
What Would A Long Term Plan Look Like?
The NHF, in collaboration with Inside Housing, introduced what they think a long-term plan should look like. You can read that full article here, but we can also go over their key points.
A long-term plan for housing needs to first be one obvious thing, long-term. This means a minimum of 10 years strategised, with a vision and framework for more. Change takes time, and there needs to be time allotted for the sector to adapt.
The second thing a plan should focus on is both new and existing homes. New homes are only one part of the housing system, so there needs to be renewed focus on local communities and housing that already exists.
A long-term strategy should be outcomes-based. This means setting out and understanding clearly the problems we are trying to solve, as well as the goals to achieve. There should be measurable targets for important issues such as improving affordability, ending homelessness and addressing climate change.
Finally, and importantly, a long-term plan for housing should be drafted by more than one person or department. It needs to be able to understand the ways housing interacts with public services and public finances, and have input from those both inside and outside the government. As the NHF and Inside Housing declare, “we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get this right.”
How Convene Can Help
Housing Associations play an invaluable role in providing quality homes and creating communities. That’s why we’re proud of how many have chosen Convene to help fulfil their social purpose of housing people.
Here at Convene, we have over 100 clients in the Housing Sector, and we are dedicated to helping them achieve that all too important long-term stability.
That’s why software like our Board portal exists. Associations and their Boards need their meetings to run smoothly, and they need systems and software that facilitates this. Without access to relevant information easily, Boards cannot effectively administer their duties.
Convene provides directors and administrators with the necessary communication and collaboration tools that simplify Board material preparation, reports, and Board document sharing, among many other meeting-related tasks.
With a Board portal like Convene at your side, we can help make your day-to-day easier, so you can focus on the long-term.
