Assembly Committee considers borrowing powers and capital funding for Wales

Public consultation opens on a new inquiry examining aspects of financing and funding of devolution in Wales

Councils and business bid for green bank

Local government and businesses across the UK have sent 32 bids expressing interest in housing the Green Investment Bank (GIB)

Cost reduction in central government: summary of progress

The NAO reports on progress so far

Resident involvement in social housing in the UK and Europe: blog

This short and sharp blog provides an overview of our research into resident involvement in social housing

Join Homes for Haringey for their youth-led national Youth Conference on Thursday 16 February 2012

Workshops include the etiquette of working with young people, working with gangs and more

HBnews - February 2012

The quarterly Housing Quality Network Housing Benefit newsletter, bringing you news, views and comment on current HB and other benefits issues

DCLG: £1bn cash boost for pro-growth communities

Communities with ambitions for economic growth have today been rewarded with a cash boost of nearly £1bn to get their projects off the ground and improve their local areas

Commons consider Lords amendments to Welfare Reform Bill

Summary of the Bill

Time to reflect on benefits of welfare bill amendment

The return of the Welfare Reform Bill to the House of Commons offers an opportunity to reflect on what this legislation could mean for the thousands of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in England

Government brings forward amendments to the Health and Social Care Bill

The government today outlined its plans to further improve the Health and Social Care Bill as it prepares to re-enter the House of Lords next week

MP calls for promotion of social mobility

Esther McVey MP seeks to promote social mobility, as she warns of the damage for those individuals who were never able, or allowed to fulfil their potential

Resident involvement in social housing in the UK and Europe: research and good practice

Briefing by Janis Bright

HQN's response to the consultation on regulation of social housing in England focuses on the value for money standard

Please note the deadline for responses is 10 February

Scottish Housing regulator publishes consultation analysis

The impact of ‘Bedroom tax’ plans in Scotland

The latest on the welfare reform bill

New proposals announced to cut carbon emissions

Shapps confirms how councils will benefit from social housing finance reforms

DCLG consultation: proposed policy statement for Part 2 of the Localism Act 2011

Comments sought by 22 April 2012

Grant Shapps quizzed on “bedroom tax”

View the transcript here (Commons Hansard)

The impact of welfare reform on housing

A Consortium of Associations in the South East (CASE) report

Scottish Government: survey of vacant and urban derelict land in Scotland

The only national data source for vacant and derelict land – a co-operative effort between local authorities and the Scottish Government

Over 150 councils already pledging to freeze or cut council tax

Last year's freeze saved households an estimated £72 on a Band D bill

DWP report: housing benefit bulletin: January 2012

Housing and Council tax benefit general information bulletin

Making Open Data Real consultation - responses

Across the responses, there was widespread support for transparency and open data, though there were divergent views on how ‘Open Government’ might be realised

Benefits cap concessions expected to win support for welfare reform bill

Guardian article: government expected to agree to fund families who could be made homeless at sensitive time in children's education

Scottish Government: review of community planning

Community planning review being carried out in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)

National evaluation of the Handyperson Programme

The evaluation reports on value for money and the success of the programme in meeting service users' needs

Grant Shapps: “housing tenancy fraud in England costs around £900 million a year”

Based on estimates that it costs an average of £18,000 per year to house a family or individual in temporary housing and that 50,000 properties are unlawfully occupied in England

Housing inspection: the next steps

Network briefing by Roger Jarman

Housing partnership will give new insight into how the market ticks

Update on the National House Building Council housing information sharing agreement

Government department business plan data released

January 2012 updates for each department

Welsh Government: Credit Unions offer an affordable alternative to pay day loans

22 credit unions providing all Wales coverage – ideally placed to help people in communities who are unable to access mainstream financial services

Right to Buy update

From Lords Hansard text: there are no plans to extend the right to buy to housing association tenants who have the right to acquire or to tenants without a right to purchase

Bringing empty homes back into use: application guidance for community and voluntary groups

Welfare Reform Bill: report stage day six

Latest update: Lords continue to scrutinise government proposals and make amendments

Warm Front energy help scheme getting a frosty reception

There are now likely to be almost 7 million households living in fuel poverty in the UK

Questions and answers

Network members have a wealth of housing expertise so help spread the word by adding your questions and answering those already posted by our members on our questions and answers page. Click on the title above to view all our current member questions

Meeting local housing demand – a guide for elected members

HCA and LGA publication argues that councils are central to tackling the housing crisis

Housing strategy debated in Lords: “housing should be a focus for the coalition”

Click the link above to read the full transcript

Northern Ireland Housing Executive rent increases

Social Development Minister, Nelson McCausland announced that the increase in Housing Executive rents will equate to around £3.64 a week

Government publishes overseas benefit claimant research

First detailed research tracking the country of origin of benefit claimants currently in the UK who were overseas nationals when the entered the country

Mutuals get go ahead

New Co-operatives Bill to be put before Parliament before the next election

Councils and housing associations to test direct payments of housing cost support

Demonstration projects will take place from June 2012 until June 2013 to test how claimants can manage housing benefit monthly payments ahead of the introduction of Universal Credit from October 2013

The return of Right to Buy

Network briefing by Neil Merrick

Scottish Government: consultation on housing support for homeless households

Comments sought by 11 April 2012

Councils should help older people live at home for longer

An update on the FreeSpace project, New Deal for Older People, further DFG allocations and HIAs and FirstStop

Historic powers in the Localism Act pass down to communities

Two months on from Royal Assent of the Act, a commencement order has officially brought into effect much of this flagship legislation. This DCLG summary outlines some of the legislation

House Price Index – November 2011

Average house prices increased by 0.2% over the quarter to November, compared to no change over the quarter to August

MPs report on preparations for the roll-out of smart meters

The Commons Public Accounts Committee publishes its 63rd Report of the Session, on the basis on evidence from the Department for Energy and Climate Change, Citizens Advice, Which?, and EDF Energy

Localisation issues in welfare reform

Government response to the Communities and Local Government Select Committee's report

Shaping Our Future: implementation plan

Defra, DECC, DCLG, and the former Office for the Third Sector (now the Office for Civil Society), have now completed a joint review of the actions assigned to government in Shaping Our Future. The resulting Implementation Plan sets out proposals for taking forward these actions, where appropriate

Scottish Government: council tax base statistics 2011

Tax band D equivalent dwellings in Scotland increased by 0.62% from 2,034,028 in September 2010 to 2,046,575 in September 2011

Scottish Government: social services voluntary bodies funding

Voluntary organisations across Scotland's social care sector are to benefit from a £1 million investment in staff training

Regeneration to enable growth: a toolkit supporting community-led regeneration

Explains how the Government is putting civic leaders, residents, local businesses and civil society organisations in the driving seat drive the regeneration of their area, strengthen their local economy, and improve their opportunities

Consultation response: House of Commons Communities and Local Government Committee Report of Session 2010-12: Regeneration (Cm 8264)

Command Paper containing the government's formal response to the recommendations and conclusions set out in the Communities and Local Government Committee's report on regeneration

New Build Indemnity scheme

Aims to support people who have a small deposit of at least 5% to buy a new home

Attitudes to age in Britain 2010-11

DWP in-house research report

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman two-stage visual guide

Briefing note by Helen Barclay

Council self-financing and stock transfer: the housing association perspective

Network briefing by Robin Tebbutt

DCLG consultation: social housing fraud

Comments sought by 4 April 2012

This consultation puts forward proposals that would help landlords reduce the prevalence of tenancy fraud within the social housing stock

HQN job opportunity - Business Manager, Networks and Events

Looking for a change and something different? Have you knowledge and experience of social housing? Then we need you!

Maternity cover until July 2012 | Secondment opportunities considered.

HQN provides fast practical guidance on everything to do with housing and we’re looking for a dynamic business manager to handle events and develop our network membership offers.

You’d be working as part of a team based in the historic city of York. You need to be quick-thinking and well-organised with an ability to meet tight deadlines and juggle priorities. Excellent communication skills as well as a proven track record of managing customer relationships and budgets are also key essentials.

Knowledge of a specific aspect of social housing would be a real bonus – but attitude and track record of delivering results matter more.

Interested? Then get in touch for more details, email hqn@hqnetwork.co.uk, telephone 0845 47 47 004 or click above for more information.

DCLG consultation: changes to land use change statistics, rationalised collection of local authority housing statistics and publication of regional statistics

Responses sought by 2 April 2012

TSA registrations and de-registrations, January 2012

Circular: building regulations 2010 – Equality Act clarification

Circular: building regulations 2010 – Equality Act clarification

Institute for Public Policy and Research report: Right to Buy 2.0

Conservative MP David Davis and Labour MP Frank Field in a bid to unlock capital trapped in social houses where the tenant is not allowed to buy their home and to channel the revenue generated into improving and expanding social housing stock

Welsh Government consultation: options to replace the social fund community care grants and crisis loans for living expenses

Comments sought by 30 March 2012

Riots, gangs and violence and the role of housing providers

Network briefing by Tim Horsley

DCLG consultation: allocation of accommodation

Responses sought by 30 March 2012

HCA announces Traveller pitch funding allocations to 2015

33 housing associations, local authorities and other providers are set to deliver around 600 new Traveller pitches

Welsh Government: Local Housing Allowance Rates 2012

Each month Rent Officers Wales calculates the Local Housing Allowance Rates based on rent levels in each area of Wales

Grant Shapps: next phase of local public audit

Consultation response: future of local public audit

Proposals for the new arrangements for audit of local public bodies

YouGov survey for Shelter: many rely on credit to pay for home

Almost one million people have taken out a payday loan to help pay their rent or mortgage in the last 12 months

Local Enterprise Partnership summaries

A further 14 partnerships have been announced since October 2010. An overview of each of the LEP's, along with a coverage map for each area, can be found here

New deal to help older people live at home for longer

£51 million towards Home Improvement Agencies, £20 million for Disabled Facilities Grants and £1.5 million funding for FirstStop

£200 million payment by results scheme to help troubled families

Run in conjunction with local authorities and organisations delivering the Work Programme, the new service is to help families with multiple problems overcome barriers to employment

Benefit expenditure tables: HB and CTB expenditure

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit expenditure by local authority district 1996/97 to 2009/10 in nominal terms

The Governor

The seventh issue of HQN's magazine for boards, executives and leaders can be downloaded and easily printed here.

TSA: latest regulatory judgements

No deterioration in the financial viability or governance of the ten associations' judgements released

IPPR report: delivering reform of the building sector to meet the UK’s housing and economic challenges

Are Britain’s big builders willing and able to deliver the new houses we need?

Scottish Government: council tax freeze continues

A household in the average council tax band will have saved over £500 by the end of 2012-2013 as a result of the council tax freeze since 2007-2008

£3.1 million from dormant bank accounts invested in Big Society projects

Review to examine institutional investment in private rented sector

Sir Adrian Montague to lead the review of barriers to investment in rented homes

Funding boost towards national No Second Night Out pledge

£8 million grant funding allocated to communities across the country

Scottish Government: housing voluntary grant scheme

29 housing projects across Scotland have been awarded grants totalling £2 million

£420m fund to get Britain building again in 2012

The Get Britain Building Fund is expected to unlock up to 16,000 homes on sites that are currently stalled, and help create up to 30,000 jobs in construction and related industries

DCLG consultation: reinvigorating Right to Buy and one for one replacement

Comments sought by 2 February 2012

Scottish Government sets out its opposition to proposed changes to the welfare system

Scottish housing issues update

Network briefing by Zhan McIntyre

Prioritising homelessness in 2012: time to look at the Scottish approach?

Network briefing by Isobel Anderson

Social lettings tables – adjusted for missing local authority landlord data: 2010-11

269,000 general needs lettings across social housing in 2010-11. A 2% increase from 263,000 in 2009-10

Citizenship survey topic reports 2009-10

Reports provide an in-depth examination of Community Action, Community Spirit and Race, Religion and Equalities

First-ever fund will offer £20million support for single homeless people

The funding is additional to the existing Preventing Homelessness Grant and will be made available in the New Year

Age, home and community: a strategy for housing for Scotland's older people 2012 – 2021

Sets out vision, direction, information and advice, making better use of existing housing and preventative support services and new build housing for older people

Scottish Government: affordable housing scheme

Scottish ministers urging house builders to join the National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative

TSA: Claer Lloyd-Jones' December 2011 letter to providers

Covers the Royal Assent of the Localism Act 2011, the transfer of regulation to the HCA, an update on the revised regulatory framework statutory consultation, information and links to the latest publication of the TSA Quarterly Survey, the development of the Homes and Communities Agency's equalities duties and the news that Matthew Bailes will transfer to the HCA as Director of Regulation from April 2012

The Local Government Finance Bill

DCLG statement

PPN 10/11: new threshold levels for 2012 and changes in the use of the accelerated restricted procedure

The finalised and agreed threshold values to apply from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2013

DCLG consultation response: localising support for council tax in England

Outlines the plans for enabling local authorities to introduce localised schemes in England from 2013-14

Supporting local growth

DCLG report highlighting the progress made with the introduction of Local Enterprise Partnerships, Enterprise Zones, the Regional Growth Fund and Growing Places Fund

Paul Burstow: next steps for social care reform

Video message talks about the ‘caring for our future’ engagement process

Scottish Government: evaluation of using co-production in local housing strategies

Findings from the evaluation of two pilots using co-production as a method of working with disabled people to ensure their needs are addressed in local housing strategies

In a civilised society no one should have to sleep on the pavement

Grant Shapps: “if you see someone sleeping rough, please bring them the gift of shelter this Christmas”

English Housing Survey bulletin: issue 5

Presents key findings from the latest English Housing Survey Stock and Household reports

Troubled families cost the tax payer an estimated £9 billion per year, equivalent to £75,000 per family

An update on the Troubled Families Team

Quango reforms take a leap forward as Public Bodies Act receives Royal Assent

The reforms in the Act will begin immediately and include the abolition of Regional Development Agencies

A new approach to regulation? The social housing regulator’s proposals for revised regulatory standards

Network briefing by John Wheeldon

Government under-occupancy plans defeated in Lords

Peers voted 258 votes to 190 in favour of amendment 12 to the Welfare Reform Bill

HCA toolkit: community engagement

Online toolkit to recognise what community engagement looks like, how to be open to innovation and how to explore new ideas to meet local needs

New green building hub puts Britain centre stage of transition to low-carbon-future

The new Centre of Refurbishment Excellence is to provide the first green building skills hub, helping to create thousands of new jobs and preparing Britain for a low carbon future

Scottish Government consultation: review of third sector funding for children, young people and families

Comments sought by 29 February 2012

Welsh Government: new house building, April to June 2011 and July to September 2011

A small increase in the number of new dwellings started during 2010-11 compared with the previous two years

TSA consultation: the proposed revised accounting direction for social housing in England from April 2012

Comments sought by 6 March 2012

Consultation: revised London Housing Strategy

Comments sought by 6 March 2012

TSA report: quarterly survey of private registered providers, September 2011

Total agreed loan facilities of £63.7 billion; reduction in the unsold shared ownership units from 3,985 to 3,077; new facilities of £693 million were arranged in the quarter

House Price Index – October 2011

Average house prices increased by 0.6% over the quarter to October, compared to a decrease of 0.6% over the quarter to July

Scottish Government: millions invested in new homes

“In the face of Westminster cuts we will also boost housing supply by using innovative financing methods, driving maximum value for every single pound of taxpayers' money”

Scottish Government: regeneration strategy (achieving a sustainable future)

“Setting out a clear shared vision for a fairer and more sustainable future is increasingly important in the context of devolved responsibility for local regeneration”

Scottish Government: funding to tackle poverty

The £50 million SPRUCE (Scottish Partnership for Regeneration in Urban Centres) Fund is open for business

Government pledges £1 million to support the vulnerable at Christmas

Nick Hurd: “people up and down the country have always given generously to help children, the elderly and the homeless at Christmas”

Quarterly revenue outturn for local authorities in England: Quarter 2 2011-12

Total net current expenditure for quarter 2 was estimated to be £28.9bn. Forecast for 2011-12 is £119.1bn – an increase of 0.8% on the initial reported budget of £118.06bn

Circular letter: Building Regulations 2010 - Equality Act clarification

Compliance with the requirements of Part M does not signify compliance with the much broader obligations and duties set out in the Equality Act. This is a source of frequent misunderstanding

Self-financing for councils: update on stock issues

Network briefing by Robin Tebbutt

Largest year-on-year drop in number of empty homes

Over the past year the numbers of long-term empty homes has fallen by over 21,000

Statutory homelessness: July - September Quarter 2011, England

12,510 applicants were accepted as owed a main homelessness duty during July to September 2011, 6 per cent higher than during the same quarter of 2010

Do it your way – Deputy Prime Minister launches new ‘City Deals’

The first wave of deals will be with the eight largest cities and their surrounding Local Enterprise Partnerships

Local Enterprise Partnership summaries

An overview of each of the local enterprise partnerships, along with a coverage map for each area, can be found here

New powers for public to stop council tax rises this year

'Local tax lock' allows people a vote to stop council tax going up if their local authority refuses to freeze bills

Welsh Government consultation: meeting the housing challenge – building a consensus for action

Comments sought by 17 February 2012

Audit Scotland report: meeting climate change targets could cost Scotland £10 billion

12% of Scottish emissions come from housing

TSA registrations and de-registrations, December 2011

View the updated registrations here

Landlords must catch up and open their books to public scrutiny

Criticism of housing associations that failed to widely publish details of how they are spending public money

Attitudes to housing, planning and changing policies

A NatCen Social Research report (British Social Attitudes 28)

Audit Commission report: Work in progress – meeting local needs with lower workforce costs

Joint Audit Commission and Local Government Association report on how local authorities are reducing their workforce costs, with some finding creative solutions

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and joint health and wellbeing strategies explained

Document to support emerging health and wellbeing boards as they engage with the refresh of Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and develop their preparatory joint health and wellbeing strategy

DCLG report: Lifetime Neighbourhoods

DCLG report: how can ageing, design, housing, transport, participation and green spaces can be linked when creating Lifetime Neighbourhoods?

Shapps pledge to abolish 'digital apartheid'

People in online households can save more than £200 a year shopping and are 25% more likely to find work

DWP consultation: Support for mortgage interest

Responses sought by 27 February 2012

Autumn Statement

Network briefing by Steve Wood

Joint HCA and TSA consultation: future equality objectives

Responses sought by 24 February 2012

Scottish Government consultation: the terms of proposed tenancy deposit schemes

Responses sought by 21 January 2012

NIHE: single people face Housing Benefit changes next month

From 1 of January 2012 single people aged from 25 to 34 who rent from a private landlord will only be entitled to the Housing Benefit shared accommodation rate, irrespective of the size of accommodation actually rented

Charity pressures councils over million empty homes

Empty Homes has urged the government to pressure local authorities to create more affordable homes

£8.5 million improves home life for Welsh disabled

How Welsh Government investment is protecting and empowering vulnerable people

Works underway to build first council houses in York in over 20-years

19 new eco friendly council houses with HCA funding

Social mobility business compact

Nick Clegg launches a Business Compact, asking businesses to do their bit

Community Budget pilots move one step closer

Shortlisted areas named

HQN council tenants' guide

We are pleased to offer your organisation a complimentary copy of the HQN Residents' Network guide to help tenants through the process of a stock options review.

Structural reform plans

View the latest (November 2011) updates

Living well with dementia: a Design Council challenge

Joint project between the DH and Design Council to develop new design-led ideas for products and services to make life simpler and more enjoyable for those with dementia and their carers

Audit Commission report: joining up health and social care

Improving value for money across the interface

Limit on the management element of the LSE service charge for 2012-13

From 1 April 2012, the basic limit will be £382. The limit enhanced for VAT, where applicable, will be £437

Local authority borrowing and investments 2010-11

Total gross borrowing increased from £58.1 billion at the end of 2005-06 to £70.6 billion at the end of 2010-11, an increase of 21% over 5 years and 4% over the last year

Care home residents to keep DLA/PIP mobility

When DLA is replaced with PIP in 2013, disabled people in residential care will continue to receive any mobility component of PIP they are entitled to

Complaints handling in Scotland

Network briefing by Helen Barclay

£430m cash bonus for communities who have built homes

The second year of cash payments through New Homes Bonus will total over £430 million, more than double the first year's payment

Local authority statistics: HSSA and BPSA for 2010/11

Topics include: housing stock; waiting lists; Choice Based Letting scheme participation; LA lettings; decent homes delivery; HRA stock programmes and ASB injunctions

Scottish Housing Regulator: financial information release

Turnover for the sector increased by 1.4% (09/10, 7.6%), to £1.222 billion (09/10, £1.205 billion)

“Homes on the farm”

Andrew Stunell calls on farmers and rural councils to "think outside the box" to deliver more affordable housing

93% of all social homes now meet the Decent standard

Numbers of non-decent council homes fell by more than a quarter over the past year

Housing stock and dwelling stock estimates, England, 2011

An estimated 22.8 million dwellings in England as at 31 March 2011, an increase of 0.53% on the previous year

Scottish Government: home care services

National figures on Home Care Services provided or purchased by local authorities in Scotland

Scottish Government: new council house numbers soar

2,244 council houses were started in the two years to September 2011 compared with 1,378 in the previous 13 years

NAO briefing: the modelling used to set Feed-in Tariffs for solar photovoltaics

Briefing prepared by the National Audit Office, at the request of the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee and the Energy and Climate Change Committee, to inform their joint inquiry into the government’s 31 October 2011 consultation on proposals for solar power Feed-in Tariffs

White working-class views of neighbourhood, cohesion and change

Joseph Rowntree Foundation report recommends changing community cohesion to a grassroots initiative, embracing difference and diversity

Welsh Government: Invest to Save Fund being used to support vulnerable people to stay in their own homes for longer

Response to interim report from the Independent Riots Victims and Communities Panel

The interim report states that "there was no single cause of the riots and there is no single solution

Affordable rent model: commons library standard note

An overview of the government’s affordable rent model and summary of key associated issues

Could people learn to love tower blocks?

With Sheffield's Park Hill estate being refurbished for its 50th birthday, can people learn to love them again (BBC News article)

Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England

Network briefing by Janis Bright

Code for Sustainable Homes and Energy Performance of Buildings: cumulative and quarterly data up to end of September 2011

The latest official statistics on SAP ratings released

DEFRA consultation: the Green Deal and energy company obligation

Comments sought by 18 January 2012

£71 million to end the legacy of England's ghost streets

New fund to help tackle the 'ghost streets' left by the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder programme – view the project allocations here

Scottish house condition survey

39% of dwellings passed the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) in 2010 which is an increase from 26% in 2004/5

New rules will help end prejudices about social housing

Grant Shapps: “new flexible tenancies will help end long-held prejudices about social housing and ensure it once again becomes a springboard for success”

The adult social care outcomes framework: handbook of definitions

Department of Health publication for local authority chief executives and directors of adult social services and PCT chairs

Housing Groups' reaction to the new housing strategy

An overview of the Localism Act 2011

Network briefing by Sue Farrant

National housing statistics

1,746 housing starts on site and 15,329 housing completions in England in the six months to 30 September 2011

Welsh Government: minister urges organisations to respond to the UK Government consultation on feed-in tariffs

Housing associations, local authorities, registered social landlords, community groups and businesses in Wales to respond to the UK government’s consultation on feed-in tariffs for solar PV

Care Quality Commission to target home care services

The themed inspection programme will start in April and will cover about 250 providers of domiciliary care services

Scottish Government: landlords win green heating cash

Castle Rock Edinvar in Edinburgh, Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership and Hebridean Housing Partnership were all named winners in the Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme

TSA consultation: statutory consultation on revisions to the regulatory framework

Comments sought by 10 February 2012

£16.8 million support for free advice services

Big Fund will provide immediate support to debt, welfare benefits, employment and housing advice services

Implementing social housing reform: consultation responses

Government's response to the consultation on the directions proposed to be given by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to the Social Housing Regulator under section 197 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008

Laying the Foundations: A Housing Strategy for England

New strategy to deliver homes and strengthen the economy

New Build Indemnity scheme – supports those with only 5% deposit

House builders put 3.5% of the sale price into an indemnity fund. In the event of repossession within 7 years, the fund is used to cover any losses realised by the lender. Government adds a set percentage guarantee

DCLG consultation: the Housing Revenue Account self-financing determinations

Comments sought by 6 January 2012

Neighbourhood planning

Network briefing by Neil McDonald

Housing rules should not be a barrier to a stable home life

Forthcoming guidance on allocating council homes will break down barriers between council departments to ensure the needs adoption and fostering will be considered

NIHE: video resource for people facing repossession in Northern Ireland

Funded by the Northern Ireland Courts & Tribunal Service and emphasises the importance of attending court

Scottish Government: detailed analysis of religious hate crime

There were charges with a religious aggravation in 27 out of Scotland's 32 Local Authority areas

HBnews - November 2011

The quarterly Housing Quality Network Housing Benefit newsletter, bringing you news, views and comment on current HB and other benefits issues

15.3% of net current expenditure in 2010-11 on housing benefits

Local authority revenue expenditure and financing England 2010-11 final outturn

Tough times – Councils’ responses to a challenging financial climate

Audit Commission analysis

Count of Gypsy and Traveller caravans

The total number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans in England in July 2011 was approximately 18,600.This is about 400 more than the total in July 2010

House building: September quarter 2011, England

23,410 housebuilding starts – a decrease of 1% on previous quarter

Openness and accountability in local pay

Draft guidance under section 40 of the Localism Act

Localism Bill receives Royal Assent

DCLG statement

Local Authority Council Taxbase 2011 England

7.7 million dwellings were entitled to a discount as a result of being occupied by single adults. This represents 33% of all dwellings

Scottish Government: help for fuel poor

The Fuel Poverty Forum will look at the how Local Authorities fuel poverty initiatives interact with Scottish Government's schemes in its review of fuel poverty strategy

A plain English guide to the Localism Act – update

DCLG overview document

Sir Bob Kerslake announced as new Head of the Civil Service

The role of Head of the Civil Service will be separated out from the Cabinet Secretary role when Sir Gus O’Donnell retires at the end of the year

Housing demand will exceed the size of Birmingham by 2015, warns FMB

Report also states that the number of small house builders is at the lowest since 1982 because of escalating costs and regulatory burdens

Government plans to reform PFI model

The Treasury will be launching a call for evidence on 1 December 2011 to inform a review

One year from police commissioner elections anti-social behaviour is public's top concern

Tackling anti-social behaviour should be the top priority for new directly-elected police commissioners, according to a survey carried out one year ahead of elections being held across England and Wales

House Price Index – September 2011

Average house prices increased by 0.6% over the quarter to September, compared to a quarterly decrease of 0.8% over the quarter to June

Plans for a second year's council tax freeze set out

Councils that freeze or reduce their council tax next year will get a one off grant equivalent to raising their council tax by 2.5%

Call for ‘green mortgages’

The UK government and banks urged to do more to reward borrowers who want to do their bit for the environment

Indecision stalling councils' regeneration plans

Whitehall currently only has plans to allow four councils to take part in the next round of Community Budgets

House hunting heroes in government's sights

Minister makes pledge to our men and women in uniform to pull out all the stops to give them the support they need

Local government fraud detection rates increased by 37% in the past year

Audit Commission report: fighting fraud against local government

Council of Mortgage Lenders: 9,200 homes taken in to possession

Council expects the number of repossessions in 2011 to be lower than their original forecast of 40,000

TSA registrations and de-registrations, November 2011

Community work for the long term unemployed

People who have been unemployed for more than two years and haven’t secured sustainable employment could be referred onto compulsory community work placements

Northern Ireland HE: amendments to the HMO registration scheme

Proposed amendment to make clear provision for payment of the registration fees on the first registration of relevant houses, or on renewal of registration

Scottish Government: green infrastructure – design and placemaking

For planners, landscape architects, developers and housebuilders to give practical tips on incorporating green infrastructure in masterplans

Incapacity claimants set to be slashed by one million

Research from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research Centre

Ten additional NCS 2012 delivery partners announced

£500 million Growing Places Fund

Available to get stalled sites for housing development moving again; provide additional funding for infrastructure projects already in the pipeline; and promote wider economic growth

Limit on the management element of the LSE service charge for 2011-12

Certain leases, typically in older leasehold schemes for the elderly, contain a clause that limits the amount the landlord may charge in respect of the management element of the service charge

The social fund and the wider financial inclusion agenda

DWP consultation results