NHF response to the Chancellor's Budget 2021

Today’s budget is a welcome commitment of support in key areas, after a year that has seen families across the country struggling to afford the cost of living.

Levelling up is a priority for housing associations, who are ready to play their part in tackling local inequalities and helping communities up and down the country to thrive. The additional £1.8bn for brownfield regeneration is welcome news, alongside last week’s confirmation of the next wave of Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, which represents an important step toward reaching our net zero ambitions.

While it won’t mitigate the full impact of the loss of the £20 Universal Credit uplift, particularly during the winter months and for people who aren’t working, it is positive that the government has recognised the need to support families on the lowest incomes by reducing the Universal Credit taper. We also welcome the focus on homelessness prevention and longer term commitment to reduce homelessness but it is disappointing that there is no additional, long term funding for all forms of supported housing, which is vital for allowing those with support needs to thrive in their home and can reduce pressure on adult social care.

Unfortunately, the consequences of no additional direct funding to fix building safety issues in social rented homes will be far reaching, leading to a loss of new affordable homes and less money for existing social homes. However we support the Residential Property Developer Tax, which goes some way toward holding those responsible for this crisis to account for the cost of making buildings safe in the future.