Decent Homes
By 2010, 95% of social housing will meet the ‘decent homes’ standard of being warm and weatherproof with reasonably modern facilities.
Decent homes are an essential part of creating thriving and sustainable communities and are vital for the health and wellbeing of those living in them
Communities and Local Government (CLG) is improving the living conditions of social tenants across the country by challenging all councils and housing associations to deliver decent homes by 2010.
In 1997 there were 2.1 million houses owned by local authorities and housing associations that did not meet the decent homes standard. One million of these have already been raised to a decent standard and most of the improvement has taken place in deprived areas.
Meeting the decent homes standards
Many local authorities are delivering decent homes using existing resources and retaining both ownership and management of their housing stock. Where local authorities require additional funding in order to meet the decent homes standard, the government has outlined three options:
- setting up an arm's length management organisation (ALMO) to manage the homes
- using the housing private finance initiative (PFI) to encourage extra private sector investment
- transferring housing stock to a registered social landlord (RSL).
Our role
We work with local authorities and RSLs to help them achieve their goal of improving all social housing to a decent standard and to ensure that landlords have plans to sustain the improvements made to social housing. Between 2008 and 2011 we will:
- support local authorities that are transferring stock, establishing ALMOs or entering into PFI schemes through earlier bidding rounds
- assess bids and allocate credits for PFI round six
- monitor progress against the overall decent homes target
- ensure that local authorities engage tenants effectively through options appraisals.
Last updated: 3 June 2009