The Government has confirmed it will bring forward amendments to the Social Housing Bill aimed at protecting existing social housing stock, improving homelessness prevention and ensuring homes are allocated to those who need them most.
The proposed changes are designed to give councils and housing providers greater flexibility to work together, while helping to reduce the growing reliance on temporary accommodation across England.
Under the revised legislation, local authorities will gain new powers to refer homeless households directly to private registered providers of social housing. Ministers believe the move will strengthen collaboration between councils and housing associations, creating a more streamlined process for securing permanent accommodation for vulnerable residents.
A further amendment will introduce a new disposals notification requirement. This will provide councils and other social housing providers with an earlier opportunity to purchase social homes before they are sold outside the sector. The Government intends to extend the notification period to eight weeks, giving organisations more time to assess potential acquisitions and helping to preserve affordable housing stock within local communities.
The Bill will also establish a new Duty to Collaborate, requiring public services to work more closely together to identify people at risk of homelessness. Organisations will be expected to consider what action they can take within their existing responsibilities to help prevent homelessness before individuals reach crisis point.
The measures come as councils continue to face significant pressures from rising housing demand and increasing temporary accommodation costs. By encouraging earlier intervention and stronger partnership working across the housing sector, ministers hope the reforms will improve outcomes for vulnerable households while protecting the long-term availability of social housing.
The Government has already committed £39 billion over the next decade through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme to support the delivery of new social and affordable housing. Councils and housing associations are expected to remain central to efforts to increase housing supply and meet growing demand in communities across the country.
Housing sector leaders are likely to welcome measures that both safeguard existing homes and improve cooperation between public bodies, particularly as homelessness continues to rise and demand for affordable housing remains high.
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