NHF response to the Autumn Statement 2023

The Chancellor’s decision to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance is one we’ve long been calling for, and will mean that people at the sharp end of the housing crisis will be helped to keep up with increasing rents. This action, along with the decision to uplift benefits payments in line with inflation, will give millions of people struggling with living costs some much needed relief. However, we’re concerned that tougher rules and potential benefit reductions for people who are unable to find a job will result in increased hardship.

We also welcome the additional £3bn for the Affordable Homes Guarantee Scheme which can be accessed to finance works to improve the quality of existing homes as well as for new much needed affordable housing.

It is hugely disappointing that the government has not used this Autumn statement to release the full £3.8bn Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. This will impact on housing associations’ ability to make homes energy efficient at scale and pace, saving residents money and helping to alleviate fuel poverty, creating thousands of jobs and decarbonising our homes. We urge the Government to bring this funding forward soon as possible and before the Spring Budget.

Increased investment in planning capacity is the right thing to do. However, the money should be ringfenced and have greater flexibility so it succeeds in removing barriers to the delivery of thousands of homes stuck in the planning system.

While the Autumn Statement has brought some positive news, we need government to commit to a long-term plan to fix the housing crisis in order to make a real difference to the millions of people in housing need.