1. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org Raising the profile of housing in the British Isles Gavin Smart, Deputy Chief Executive

2. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org Overall context

3. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 3 Recovery - A long haul Source: NIESR

4. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 4 Unequal recovery?

5. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 5 A nation of borrowers

6. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 6 Growth of market renting

7. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 7 House prices

8. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 8 Housing Affordability

9. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 9 Government housing investment

10. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org Housing policy in the nations

11. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 11 Scotland New Housing Act 2014 Abolition of RTB - two year ‘notice period’ for existing eligible tenants - RTB ends 2016 Bedroom tax – transfer of DHP with a view to “full mitigation” Continuation of social rent Housing, health and social care integration All unintentional homeless entitled to secure accommodation – homelessness applications down 40% What happens post-referendum?

12. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 12 Northern Ireland Continuing debate around future/reform of NI Housing Exec Possible introduction of planning gain for affordable housing Northern Ireland RTB equivalent scheme in Housing Executive or HA tenants max discount £24,000 Reductions in investment in affordable housing Political appreciation of role of affordable housing Major institutional reform – move to “super councils”

13. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 13 Wales First Housing (Wales) Act next month  National PRS licensing scheme  New stat. duty to provide homeless prevention service for all “Welsh solutions for Welsh problems”  Welsh housing bond  10k Affordable homes target  Focus on developing cooperative housing  Renting homes act for whole-scale tenancy reform  Collaboration and coproduction - One-housing system under welsh government ‘system stewardship’  Housing led regeneration  HRAs end March 2015 RTB max discount £16k suspension allowed in areas of housing pressure for up to five years

14. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 14 England 65% cut in Affordable Housing Programme & affordable rent Increasing use of guarantees and financial instruments  £1bn to kick start institutionally funded market rent development  Also affordable housing guarantee Welfare Reform – without mitigation Localism Strong focus on supply Preference for incentives Concentration on home ownership Help to Buy – 1 and 2 New regulatory framework HRA reform - £300m extra, but caps in place

15. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 15 UK wide Austerity – further cuts to come? £12bn more from welfare? Welfare Reform – with some local variation Social Security total spend Financial Regulation e.g. Mortgage Market Review & Bank regulation Interest rates

16. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 16 Conclusions Devolution of housing policy is increasingly marked Something of an England vs Devolved Nations flavour?  English housing policy very market driven with preference for “small state” approaches where possible  NI closest to English approach? Devolved nations are not homogenous, but sense of similarity of approach/philosophy Critical related policy and economic levers remain non-devolved

17. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org Housing and public opinion

18. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 18 The big issues today

19. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 19 The big issues long term

20. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 20 Where is housing?

21. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 21 Don’t (always) believe the papers - 1

22. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 22 Don’t (always) believe the papers - 2

23. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 23 Don’t (always) believe the papers - 3

24. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 24 Geographical differences

25. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org Housing and the Westminster election

26. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 26 Westminster election – some thoughts Post-devolution Westminster relationship to housing beyond England indirect & harder to understand But it can set the context England can still export ideas elsewhere e.g. Welsh experiments with something like affordable rent Currently less traffic the other way Housing will be a key topic Some English housing policy decisions will have Barnet consequences Westminster still controls welfare, economics and tax & spend envelope

27. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 27 What happens after May 2015? Differentiation continues Continued “marketisation” in England? Revival of social housing in England if Labour win? Austerity remains Wales & Scotland continue direction of travel  Does referendum adjust pace in Scotland? Or direction of travel too? NI – big decisions still up for grabs

28. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 28 CIH & the Westminster election

29. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 29 Some headline asks from CIH Increasing supply is critical Great variety of products at more price points needed  Clear role for LCHO & social rent Capital investment by government works LAs can do more – borrowing caps raised or abolished Standards are as important as numbers  Lifetime homes, wheelchair standard We need new entrants to the market Regeneration & neighbourhoods need more attention PRS is critically important – policies needed to incentivise standards & reward performance Bedroom Tax needs to go Greater focus on older people & specialised housing more generally

30. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 30 How do we make the case for housing? Clear, high level asks & easy to understand messages Work together – concentrate on what we agree about  Homes for Britain Demonstrate the problem and the consequences Show what housing achieves  Outcomes matter  Housing supports other policy goals e.g. economic growth, health, education etc.  Good evidence is critical Make the case yourself! Be a local advocate for housing Engage with voters & with politicians

31. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org Conclusions

32. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 32 Conclusions There is work to do in every part of the UK Our national housing systems are related and still do not work well Policy is increasingly differentiated  But we still speak broadly the same policy language The public do care about housing – but they worry about it too… Westminster election is important for housing We can do more to make the case And there is everything to play for!

33. Learn with us. Improve with us. Influence with us | www.cih.org 33 Thank you Gavin.Smart@cih.org Follow me on Twitter: @GavinSmartCIH