Background
Social housing provides around 4.5 million homes in England. Social housing includes:
- social rent (typically 40-60% of market rates)
- affordable rent (around 80% of local market rent)
- supported housing
- low-cost home ownership, such as shared ownership
The majority of social housing is rental properties, home to around one in six households in England – approximately 9-10 million people. Of these, around 60% rent from housing associations and the remainder from local authorities. The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has policy responsibility for the social housing sector, while the Regulator of Social Housing regulates registered providers.
Social landlords have a legal duty to ensure their homes meet the Decent Homes Standard. Homes must be in a reasonable state of repair, equipped with modern facilities, provide thermal comfort, and be free of the hazards that pose a serious threat to health and safety, such as damp and mould. As of 2023, an estimated 10% of social homes did not meet the current standard.
The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 and the death of two-year old Awaab Ishak in 2020 – following prolonged exposure to mould in his home – exposed systemic failures to protect residents in the social housing system. MHCLG has introduced a series of measures to improve the safety, quality and oversight of social housing in England. This includes Awaab’s Law, a new Decent Homes Standard and new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, alongside reforms to how the sector is regulated.
Scope
This report will look at the quality of existing social housing in England. It will examine whether the reforms to the sector, and to the way it is regulated, are financially sustainable and likely to meet government’s aims for the quality of social housing.
We plan to consider:
- MHCLG’s understanding of the quality of social housing, and its vision and plans for reforming the social housing sector and how it is regulated
- the effectiveness of the system, funding mechanisms and regulatory frameworks in ensuring homes are safe and decent
- the pace and scale of change and outcomes for tenants
If you would like to provide evidence for our study please email the study team on enquiries@nao.org.uk, putting the study title in the subject line. The team will consider the evidence you provide; however, please note that due to the volume of information we receive we may not respond to you directly.
NAO team
Director: Helen Hodgson
Study Manager: Joanna Lewis