Who social housing goes to, Section 106 and diversity in planning – what #UKhousing has been talking about this month
Jess McCabe picks out the most interesting housing-related conversations that happened across social media over the past month
GB News caused widespread outrage after airing a segment in which Matthew Goodwin talked about the percentage of new social homes that go to “households that are not British”.
Inside Housing’s contributing editor @PeteApps shared a thread with the true statistics: 81% of new social housing lettings go to white British tenants, and 90% to UK nationals. In London, 83% of new social lets go to British nationals.
“At a dangerous political moment, please don’t let the right establish one of their favourite narratives (lies): that immigrants get all the council housing,” he said.
Your regular reminder that 81% of new social housing lettings go to white British tenants and 90% go to UK nationals. At a dangerous political moment, please don't let the right establish one of their favourite narratives (lies): that immigrants get all the council housing.
— Peter Apps (@PeteApps) December 1, 2023
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Later on Twitter, @GoodwinMJ said that his claim on GB News related to households headed by someone who is “foreign born” – not the basis of British citizenship, or determining of the ethnicity or nationality of that person. This is a tricky blurring of statistics.
Director of @BritishFuture @sundersays added: “Whoever tweets for @GBNews has then compounded your on-air error [calling those born abroad who are British “not British”, instead of saying “born abroad” by removing “in London” so they present a much more extravagantly inaccurate claim in the tweet. Both should be corrected.”
Hakeem Osinaike, head of housing at Brent Council, wrote on LinkedIn that the government “has finally seen reason” and agreed to let the London borough introduce selective licensing for private landlords in all but one ward. Mr Osinaike pointed out the growing gap between the regulation of social housing and the private rented sector, and called it “great news for private tenants in Brent”.
Julie Fadden, former chief executive of South Liverpool Homes, is now chief executive of Knowsley Disability Concern (KDC). Writing on LinkedIn, she asked social landlords to examine the furniture packages they supply to residents, after finding out that a client of KDC with such a package had been paying over the odds.
“I have discovered one of our learning disability clients was provided with a furniture package 13 years ago, which consisted of a vinyl two seater couch and chair, a double bed, a wardrobe and chest of drawers, the value being, I would suggest, no more than £1,200 at the most. To date, this lady has paid £22,471.77 for this furniture which I have now raised as an issue to find out where this money has gone,” she wrote.
The head of housing needs at one council replied in the comments: “In my view this is a perfect example of officers failing to take ownership and responsibility, leaving it for someone else to deal with. There’s far too much of this attitude going on in social housing, where is the integrity?”
Comments on Inside Housing LinkedIn posts
Scottish housing minister: social housing is ‘build-to-save’ was the headline of Inside Housing’s interview with Paul McLennan
Jamie Ratcliff of Sovereign Network Group said: “Great to see the Scottish housing minister Paul McLennan recognising the need to think about public money spent on housing in the round in Inside Housing. He’s absolutely right that social housing is a ‘build-to-save’ model and #ukhousing needs to be making this case.”
In response to our story, Latest figures show 14% rise in children in temporary accommodation in new record high
Boardroom coach David Levenson responded on LinkedIn: “The UK government has a tin ear copped towards children in #homeless households.”
Inside Housing has reported over the years on the growing trend that housing associations prefer to build their own homes rather than buying Section 106 homes from a private developer, for several reasons. A post by the Centre for the New Midlands kicked off an interesting discussion on the consequences of this on LinkedIn, claiming that an unknown number of Section 106 homes are standing empty because the developer cannot find a social landlord to take them on.
Liz Williams, author of the blog post, said in the comment discussion: “I’m dealing with bigger and bigger s106 schemes all the time [at the moment] where no interest from traditional [housing associations].” Tom Chance, CEO of the National Community Land Trust Network, responded: “We are seeing more local community-led organisations like Community Land Trusts picking up the s106 homes on smaller sites.”
Yet what is the reason for the lack of interest? Development directors have previously told Inside Housing of problems with quality in some Section 106s, a point that was made strongly in the comments by Keith Simpson, founder of the Direct Works Forum, who noted: “My experience from not too many years back is that the quality of the Section 106 houses offered to social landlords are pitiful and justifiably refused because they are a huge maintenance liability.”
The costs and difficulties of such flawed schemes falling on smaller organisations such as community land trusts, and others who may end up with these homes as large associations refuse, is something to have an eye on in future.
Jan Rosenow, commentator on all things net zero, posted on LinkedIn a ‘heat pump rap song’ written at his request by ChatGPT. To give a flavour: “Whether it’s ducted or ductless, we got the choice. Silent operation, listen to that soft voice. Say goodbye to the old, time to rejoice. Heat pump anthem, let’s make some noise!”
BAME in Property shared on LinkedIn a photo from its workshop on ethnic diversity in planning.
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