Housing quality
All affordable homes funded through the Homes and Communities Agency must meet our high standards of quality and design.
New build housing
All the housing schemes funded through the National Affordable Housing Programme (NAHP) have to meet the standards inherited from the Housing Corporation.
The HCA has a responsibility to require and encourage high quality affordable housing, but also not to stifle good design and innovative practices through placing unduly onerous demands on NAHP investment partners.
We ask that schemes funded through the 2008-11 NAHP achieve certain levels of unit size, unit layout, unit services, sustainability and Building for Life standards. These levels and standards are measured through the Housing Quality Indicators (HQIs). We reward higher scores through the grant index mechanism.
The details of how these standards are applied on different types of housing scheme are set out in the Housing Corporation’s Design and Quality Standards.
Schemes are audited for compliance with these levels of quality.
There are also standard approved housing plans available for use by housebuilders and housing associations to help them meet the standards for unit size and layout.
Existing housing
There are specific standards set out for refurbishment projects funded under the NAHP set out in the Housing Corporation's Design and Quality Standards.
We also invest heavily in existing housing through the Decent Homes Standard, which is designed to improve nearly four million existing housing association and local authority homes.
Last updated: 3 June 2009