They’ve been a model of social housing since the Middle Ages but almshouses are suffering from the unintended consequences of legislation, Tali Fraser reports

The Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code is aimed at protecting tenants, a move that is both highly commendable and overdue. Part of the statutory nature of the Code means that landlords - among whose number are specialist charities such as Veterans Aid - are required to submit a lengthy annual report against tenant satisfaction measures. In some respects, this is a good thing - writes CEO Professor Hugh Milroy, who points out that what might be desirable for large social housing providers, threatens to be an oppressive administrative burden for small, specialist organisations.

Social housing providers are at the heart of two political hot potatoes in the United Kingdom: the ongoing housing crisis and, with registered providers’ 4.4m homes contributing significantly to the nation’s carbon emissions, the drive to net-zero by 2050. Bringing up the quality of homes through retrofit also alleviates the burden on the NHS and social services.

Housing minister Lee Rowley has praised the Prince of Wales’s plans for the Duchy of Cornwall to fund a £3m innovative housing project in the south-west of England as an example of "lots of people doing a little" to address the housing crisis, and welcomes input from major landowners.

Housing is at the top of the agenda at the Liberal Democrat party conference, as the leadership hopes to pass a controversial motion to ditch national housing targets for private sector homes and instead commit to building thousands of “community-led” social homes.

The drive to green the UK’s social homes is littered with obstacles. Home Group is on a mission to remove one of the main ones, as Nusheen Hussain explains.

An outstanding permanent secretary, and later also civil service head, Bob Kerslake became a champion of social housing and sustainable communities

Greener Futures Partnership is making inroads into net-zero in social housing but needs outside support if it is to help the UK meet its goals.

In 2021, the National Federation of Builders (NFB) House Builders Association (HBA) wrote to the Government to recommend five reforms that would not only retain existing social housing but increase social housing stock too

Thousands of homeless people placed in temporary accommodation across England are faced with severe overcrowding, with hundreds – including families with children – stuck in cramped conditions for months at a time.

More social housing is the key to preventing the need for temporary accommodation. That is why I am supporting IKEA and Shelter’s Real Life Roomsets campaign to build 90,000 new social homes a year.

Rising costs and inflation have meant a tightening on people’s finances all across the country. But in social housing the picture is even bleaker.

I was deeply saddened by the news of Awaab Ishak’s death recently, caused by extended exposure to mould in his home.

Too many people currently live in expensive, unsuitable, and poor-quality homes. Housing supply needs to be increased now to tackle the housing crisis. This was the conclusion of the report by the Lords Built Environment Committee.

What does ‘levelling up’ and ‘building back better’ mean to those Veterans living on the fringes of society? Dr Hugh Milroy, CEO of frontline homeless charity Veterans Aid, offers some cautionary thoughts.

Councils need the financial resources to build social housing, properly resourced planning services, and the powers to ensure the permissions they give in great numbers are converted into the homes people need.

A national regeneration agency could breathe new life into some of the UK's most out-of-date housing, making it fit for the 21st century.

New Built Environment Lords Committee will look at the government’s housing target, the impact of reforms to the planning system and how barriers to meeting housing demand can be overcome.

The social housing white paper provides a unique opportunity to implement a fundamental shift in the treatment of social housing tenants and fully address the full scale of the building safety crisis.

The government needs to come up with a plan to help renters deal with the backlog of arrears built up during the pandemic or face an evictions crisis once the ban on removing tenants ends, MPs are warning.

For those forced to live, learn and work in one room, the psychological impact of lockdown has been extraordinary. As we build back from this crisis, we must ensure everyone has access to a safe, secure and affordable home - with space to live.

The Housing First policy sounds good on paper. But some of the most vulnerable – like former Royal Engineer Stanley – have been let down

Street homelessness is not inevitable. It is the result of political choices. With the colder weather and a more infectious Covid strain, the government's decision not to reinstate the ‘Everyone In’ programme is immoral.

Harsh conditions in temporary accommodation are making people feel they are being punished for finding themselves homeless