In this section:

Review of the Decent Homes Standard 07/01/2021 Labelled as Legislation, Tenants

On 14 November 2020, the Government published the Social Housing White Paper "A Charter for Social Housing."


A key element of the seven-point Charter set out in the White Paper is the promise to social housing residents that they should be able to expect to be safe in their home and to have a good quality home and neighbourhood to live in.

 

As part of the package of measures set out in the White Paper to ensure residents have good quality, decent homes and neighbourhoods, the Government announced a review of the Decent Homes Standard. The review promises to consider if the Standard should be updated, including how it might better support the Government's decarbonisation and energy efficiency agenda and improve communal and green spaces. 

 

The aim of the first stage of the Decent Homes Review (as set out in paragraph 103 of the White Paper) is to understand whether the current Decent Homes Standard is the right "ask" of the social housing sector today and a promise that the review will:

 

  • Consider the fit with wider Government objectives such as ensuring buildings and neighbourhoods are safe; and responding and being resilient to climate change.
  • Consider whether the Standard reflects present- day expectations and concerns.
  • Assess how aspects of the Standard have overall had a positive impact.
  • Identify any unintended and undesirable consequences precipitated by the Standard.
  • Consider whether the Standard is practical for the sector to deliver.

 

The Social Housing White Paper included a proposal to convene a Decent Homes Review Sounding Board to review the evidence and support the work of the review. The Sounding Board is to be led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) and will consist of social sector landlord representative organisations and trade bodies. Organisations that are well placed to offer perspectives from tenants and leaseholders will also be invited.

 

ARCH Chief Executive, John Bibby has been invited to attend as a core participant on the Decent Homes Review Sounding Board. To ensure that the ARCH input to the work of the Sounding Board is both evidence based and reflects the views and perspectives of our ARCH member councils, both urban and rural, small and large from across England, we are looking to establish an ARCH Technical Support Group comprising relevant senior officers from a number of ARCH member councils.

 

If your council is interested in contributing to and supporting the ARCH input to the review of the Decent Homes Standard, we would like to hear from you. Please email john.bibby@arch-housing.org.uk for further information.

 

We will also be consulting the ARCH Tenant Group to ensure that the ARCH input to the MHCLG Sounding Board reflects the views of tenants and residents.

Like emailLink
ARCH Member Comments 3 people like this

Housemark