Housing

Broxtowe BC
Affordable Housing Programme

Broxtowe Borough Council within Nottinghamshire has taken an interventionist and pragmatic approach to dealing with housing issues over the last few years, working closely with the private sector, as well as securing £2m from Homes England to ensure those who are on the housing waiting list get their opportunity to take pride in their own home- including families, veterans and those with dementia. Faced with rising property prices, an acute shortage of affordable rental accommodation, and increasing demand for specialised housing, the Council launched an ambitious Housing Delivery Plan in 2019.

Haringey LBC
Housing Delivery Team

Haringey Council’s Housing Delivery Team is transforming lives with its ambitious goal of building 3,000 council homes by 2031. This year alone, 497 new homes have been completed (with 696 council homes finished since the programme began in 2018), providing high-quality, sustainable housing to those in need. This remarkable achievement underscores Haringey’s unwavering commitment to community and positions it as a strong contender for the Local Government Chronicle Housing Award. Mayor Khan describes Haringey’s approach to housing as “a game-changer"" and residents will continue to echo one mother’s words: “my daughter fell in love with the house, her dream home”.

Knowsley MBC
Bridging the gap: How our private rented rescue scheme is preventing homelessness and reducing costs

Knowsley Council's Private Rented Rescue Scheme is reducing homelessness from no fault evictions when landlords plan to sell.By bridging the valuation gap between private and social housing markets using Section 106 contributions for off-site affordable housing, Knowsley Council enables partner housing providers to purchase properties, offering tenants affordable, secure tenancies.Whilst expanding its own temporary accommodation, Knowsley reduced the use of B&B or hotels by 55%, saved more than £157,000, and protected multiple families from homelessness. We believe the principles of our scheme, if adopted nationally, could provide a best value way to prevent thousands of unnecessary homeless cases.

Oxford City Council
Housing Needs Team

Oxford City’s Housing Needs team is a worthy winner, having demonstrated exceptional resilience and innovation in responding to the city’s homelessness crisis. The least affordable city in the country, Oxford has faced unprecedented challenges, yet this team has not only sustained services but achieved remarkable improvements despite soaring demand. Through a transformational approach to prevention, temporary accommodation and private rented procurement, the team has delivered impressive results: 241% increase in homelessness prevention, doubling of temporary accommodation stock, and over 100 successful private rental lets. Their work provides a blueprint for other local authorities striving for effective, forward-thinking solutions to homelessness.

Oxfordshire CC
The Better Housing Better Health Partnership's impact on housing, health, and environment

With nearly 62% of homes in Oxfordshire having an EPC of less than C and a 23,197 households in fuel poverty it was important to move the a grant funded service to help residents stay warm and well in their homes to a more impactful and sustainable footing. With additional funds a pilot was set up to expand the service to home visits to improve the quality of the service to the most vulnerable residents. Through a holistic and connected approach to providing support to residents, more longer term solutions to housing quality are being delivered in the County.

Plymouth City Council
Stirling Veterans’ Self Build Project

This Stirling Project brought together partners to regenerate two sites and provide 25 affordable homes for Social Rent - training service veterans and providing them with a home. Funding via the Brownfield Land Release Fund enabled the demolition of two redundant buildings and remediation to remove asbestos found in the ground across the site. The Council then partnered with LiveWest to develop the site and Alabare to identify veterans who were homeless or at risk of homelessness. These veterans worked on the site to gain employment and social skills while being supported to recover from mental health issues and addictions.

Tendring DC
Spendells and Honeycroft Projects: transforming redundant sheltered housing for community benefit

The Spendells and Honeycroft projects by Tendring District Council (TDC) exemplify innovative repurposing of redundant sheltered housing. Honeycroft was redeveloped into high-standard, environmentally friendly units, while Spendells was converted into temporary accommodation for homeless families, addressing rising homelessness costs. Financially, Honeycroft's £3.25 million investment has a 20-year pay-back period, while Spendells' £2.337 million investment saves TDC £274,000 annually in homelessness costs, with an 8.5-year pay-back period. These projects demonstrate how strategic planning and community engagement can transform defunct facilities into valuable assets.

West London Alliance
Setting the standard for temporary accommodation

Setting the Standard (StS) works to inspect and grade temporary accommodation across London, working with 30 boroughs to drive up standards and ensure that vulnerable households are placed in safe and suitable accommodation free from risks and hazards. By working on a pan-London basis, using bespoke technology and data, we can ensure efficiency and value for money for boroughs while ensuring that standards are consistent and easy to follow for providers. With TA being so high profile, we are a small team having a big impact.