Charter for Budget Responsibility
(1 day, 11 hours ago)
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The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Torsten Bell)
At Budget 2025, the Government strengthened the fiscal framework in order to deliver on their commitment to holding one major fiscal event per year, supporting the economy with greater policy certainty.
Responding to recommendations made by the International Monetary Fund, the Government set out that they would legislate to ensure that the Office for Budget Responsibility assesses performance against the fiscal rules once a year at the Budget.
The Finance (No. 2) Bill includes an amendment to the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act 2011, the underlying primary legislation that sets out the requirement for fiscal rules assessments.
The draft “Charter for Budget Responsibility: Autumn 2025” has been published on gov.uk. The charter already set out the Government’s commitment to hold one major fiscal event per year. This update to the charter makes technical changes to deliver the policy announced at Budget 2025 relating to fiscal rules assessments, complementing the changes being made to the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act. The updated charter will be laid before Parliament, and a debate and vote will be scheduled in due course.
A copy of the document is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-charter-for-budget-responsibility-autumn-2025
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Grassroots Sports Facilities
(1 day, 11 hours ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Stephanie Peacock)
Grassroots sport plays a vital role in bringing communities together across the country. The Government are committed to supporting the growth of grassroots sport by investing in facilities, ensuring that communities benefit from the opportunity that sport provides.
Today, the Government have announced we are investing £85 million to build and upgrade grassroots sport facilities across the UK in 2026-27, as part of a £400 million boost for grassroots sport facilities across 2025 to 2030. The funding will continue to remove barriers to physical activity, ensuring we deliver new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in the areas that most need them, so that people can participate in sport regardless of where they live. This funding is going to artificial grass pitches, goalposts, floodlights and community hubs through the multi-sport grassroots facilities programme, with a further £15 million to be invested in England in 2026-27. This includes the previously announced £5 million for basketball—the second-most-popular team sport for young people behind football—which will be invested alongside £5 million from the NBA. Further details on £10 million funding for innovative facilities models is due to be set out in the coming months.
The programme will deliver funding for pitches and related facilities through our delivery partners: the Football Foundation (a partnership with the English FA and Premier League) in England, the Cymru Football Foundation in Wales, and the Football Associations in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In addition, we have today published updated lists of 991 projects funded by the multi-sport grassroots facilities programme so far in 2025-26. Projects funded through the multi-sport grassroots facilities programme are designed to increase participation for under-represented groups such as women and girls, disabled players and deprived communities. Moving forward, we will ensure that 50% of investment will target the 30% most deprived areas. In order that as many people can participate in sport and physical activity as possible, 40% of funding will also support projects that have a multi-sport offer. A full list can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/multi-sport-grassroots-facilities-programme-projects-2025-to-2026 and I will place a copy of this list in the Library of each House. Lists will be further updated in due course.
Clubs and organisations across the UK are now being urged to come forward and apply for funding available in 2026-27, which they can do by contacting the relevant partner in their country. Further detail can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-and-upgraded-grassroots-sport-facilities-to-get-the-uk-active
The Government’s future investment in grassroots sport will take into account a range of funding options, following engagement with the sports sector and local leaders to understand the demands of regions across the country. We will ensure that funding reaches a wider range of sports so that as many people as possible are able to participate in physical activity.
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Heat Networks (Mark Framework) (Great Britain) Regulations 2025
(1 day, 11 hours ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (Martin McCluskey)
Today I am announcing the commencement of heat network regulation.
Remaining sections of the Heat Network (Market Framework) (Great Britain) Regulations 2025, as amended, will come into effect, introducing protections for both existing and future heat network consumers as we seek to grow the sector. These protections build on the introduction of statutory advice and advocacy through Citizens Advice and Consumer Scotland and statutory redress through the Energy Ombudsman, introduced from April 2025.
Heat networks are a decentralised energy distribution technology, which circulates heating, cooling and hot water from central sources to multiple points of use. The scale of these networks can vary significantly, from single building, communal networks to multiple building district networks. Heat network consumers have not, until now, enjoyed similar regulatory protections to those in gas and electricity markets. This unregulated state has led to a large variation in consumer experiences, including limited transparency on pricing. Where there are no consistent rules on prices, supplier behaviour or technical operation, this has meant some consumers can experience unfair high prices, poor customer service and frequent outages with limited routes of redress.
That is why the Government have taken steps to regulate the market, acting on recommendations from the Competition and Markets Authority and appointing Ofgem to act as the heat network regulator. Ofgem will operate an authorisation regime, which heat networks are bound to comply with to maintain their right to operate in the market. Ofgem’s powers will enable it to collect information from heat suppliers that will help it to assess whether regulations are proportionate and to take decisive action if necessary to address regulatory non-compliance.
Existing heat networks have been automatically deemed as holding an authorisation until the end of the transitional period on 27 January 2027. These heat networks, and any heat networks that commence operation from now until the end of the transitional period, will need to submit a lighter-touch registration to Ofgem before the transitional period ends.
Ofgem authorisation conditions include rules on how prices are charged, requiring that prices are clearly explained, bills are transparent and that prices charged are fair. Once Ofgem has collected a full year’s worth of sector data, it will set benchmarks of acceptable prices for different network characteristics, which will be a basis for more systematic action to tackle examples of unfair high pricing. Ofgem will also have powers to introduce guaranteed standards of performance once market data becomes available. This will set out the standards of service that heat networks will be expected to provide to consumers, and networks will be required to pay compensation when these standards are not met. In addition, we have published a consultation on proposals for minimum mandatory technical standards to help drive improved heat networks’ efficiency and performance.
The regime that is commencing today is set out through the first comprehensive utility regulations in the heat network sector’s history. We will monitor the market closely, working with Ofgem and other statutory partners to ensure that the regulatory regime works effectively and that it is fit for the purpose of protecting heat consumers.
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People with a Learning Disability and Autistic People: Eighth Annual Report
(1 day, 11 hours ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Dr Zubir Ahmed)
I would like to acknowledge today the publication of the updated eighth report on “Learning from lives and deaths—People with a learning disability and autistic people” (LeDeR) produced by King’s College London. This replaces a previous version of the report which was retracted in December 2025 due to a technical issue with the LeDeR data. I will place a copy of the revised report in the Library of both Houses.
This Government are committed to improving care and reducing health inequalities for people with a learning disability and autistic people. We understand how important the timely and accurate release of information on LeDeR is in achieving this goal.
Following urgent investigation, the errors were found to be caused by an automated data-processing issue, which meant that some data on causes of death was missing at the time of analysis. This affected the conclusions originally published. I recognise how concerning the retraction will have been for bereaved families and stakeholders who place great trust in the LeDeR process. NHS England has worked with its data processor to correct the automated processing error so that it cannot recur. King’s College London has also strengthened its data checking protocols to prevent similar issues in the future. I am assured that this issue has now been resolved, and these improvements have been applied to the revised report published today.
The headline findings of the updated 2023 LeDeR report remain consistent with those previously published. The updated analysis reaffirms that people with a learning disability continue to experience significant health inequalities: on average, they die 19.5 years younger than the general population and are almost twice as likely to die from an avoidable cause of death. This remains unacceptable, and tackling these disparities continues to be a priority for this Government.
NHS England sets clear expectations for local systems, requiring integrated care boards to prioritise LeDeR reviews in their delivery plans and produce an annual report demonstrating how learning from those reviews has driven action. In addition, there is wider, significant work under way to reduce health inequalities for people with a learning disability and autistic people—including mandatory training on learning disability and autism for health and care staff, continued uptake of annual health checks, and roll out of a reasonable adjustment digital flag.
The updated report contains the following specific changes:
Review of lives and deaths (2021-23)
The proportion of deaths classed as avoidable is now higher than originally reported, particularly in 2023 (40.2% v. 38.8%), although the downward trend over time remains. Influenza and pneumonia remain the leading avoidable cause but account for a smaller share, while ischaemic heart disease contributes a larger share. Cerebrovascular disease replaces digestive cancers among the leading avoidable causes. The ranking of overall causes of death has also changed, with diseases of the circulatory system now the most common cause.
Ethnicity
There are small changes in the proportion of deaths classified as avoidable by ethnic group, with slightly lower percentages among ethnic minority groups and a slightly higher percentage among white adults. There are small shifts in the relative contribution of leading causes of death by ethnic group. These changes do not alter the overall conclusions, with avoidable mortality remaining higher among several ethnic minority groups than white adults and the general population.
Level of learning disability
Avoidable mortality is higher than originally reported for both adults with a mild or moderate learning disability and those with a severe or profound learning disability. The difference between these groups is now considerable. While there are small changes in the proportions of overall and avoidable causes of death, the ordering of causes remains unchanged, and the overall interpretation of differing mortality patterns by level of learning disability is not altered.
Autistic adults
There are small changes in the proportions of causes of death among autistic adults without a learning disability. The largest shift is in deaths by suicide, which increase from 29.1% to 31.5%. This does not alter the overall interpretation of findings. Evidence on causes of death for autistic adults without a learning disability is emerging. The number of deaths notified to LeDeR remains small, meaning findings are unlikely to be fully representative of the population of people who are autistic.
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Building Safety Regulator
(1 day, 11 hours ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Samantha Dixon)
Today, the Building Safety Regulator moves from the Health and Safety Executive to become a new non-departmental body of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. We are also launching the first phase of work to improve the implementation of the higher-risk building regime, so that the regulator can become more proportionate while continuing to deliver the highest safety standards for residents.
The Grenfell Tower tragedy exposed multiple systemic failures across the built environment. The BSR was created to help ensure those failures do not occur again. It has worked with others to begin a deep culture shift across the sector, improve safety standards across the built environment and deliver a major shift in how buildings are regulated, constructed, and managed.
The Government demonstrated last summer that they are prepared to act decisively to support the regulator and make sure it can work effectively, by bringing in Lord Roe as chair and setting up the BSR as a separate organisation. Today’s change in how the regulator is governed will ensure it remains dedicated to building safety and standards, with greater operational flexibility and clearer accountability to the Department. It pursues a renewed mission to uphold and advance safety standards across its areas of responsibility with rigour and expertise. This marks an important step in our programme of reform for the sector and a key milestone on the journey towards a single construction regulator.
We must go further and build on the progress already made. Today we are announcing the first phase of work to ensure the higher-risk building regime is applied in a proportionate way, and that regulatory requirements are fit for purpose and complement the operational progress made by the BSR. Strengthening safety across the system remains our overriding priority, and these measures are designed to reinforce the safeguards that underpin the regime.
We are launching a consultation on how building control, both within the higher-risk regime and in some cases across the wider system, should apply to telecommunications building work. Our aim is to ensure residents can access modern digital infrastructure quickly, without compromising safety. By refining the approach to high-volume, lower-risk telecoms building work, we can improve decision making and safety outcomes, reduce pressure on the system, and enable the BSR to focus its expertise on the most complex and highest-risk activity. This will help maintain the rigorous safety standards rightly expected, while allowing essential works to proceed at pace.
We will also be consulting on further proposals to refine the application of the regime for high-volume, low-complexity work and to ensure that the system operates in a proportionate manner. Later in the spring, we will bring forward consultations on minor building work within homes and on existing fire doors. Building homes quickly and building them safely are not in conflict; that is why we are consulting on making the system more proportionate while keeping safety at its core. Throughout this process, we remain firmly committed to ensuring safety standards and oversight of the highest-risk work are not diluted. We will engage closely with the BSR, industry, technical experts, local authorities and residents as these proposals are developed.
The consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-proportionality-and-safety-outcomes-in-building-control-telecommunications-work
These proposals reflect a commitment to appropriate levels of oversight, while freeing up regulatory resources to ensure the safe delivery of vital homes, and the refurbishment and remediation work this country needs.
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Woking Borough Council and Thurrock Council: Best Value Duty
(1 day, 11 hours ago)
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The Minister for Local Government and Homelessness (Alison McGovern)
This Government are committed to taking the action necessary to fix the foundations of local government. Today, I am updating the House on the steps we are taking to support two councils to recover and reform: Woking borough council and Thurrock council.
Woking borough council
Woking borough council has been under statutory intervention since May 2023 and, in December 2025, I published the commissioners’ fifth report, together with my response. I welcomed their assessment of continued progress in governance, housing, and commercial restructuring, and shared their concerns about the significant challenges ahead. To maintain stability and the council’s improvement progress, the Secretary of State reappointed Richard Carr as managing director commissioner, and Barry Scarr as finance commissioner. Sir Tony Redmond also remains as lead commissioner. Their appointments are in place until 24 May 2028 as a backstop, when the directions are set to expire. In practice, these appointments will lapse when Woking borough council is planned to be dissolved in 2027, as part of local government reorganisation in Surrey.
As the commissioners also note, local government reorganisation in Surrey adds urgency and complexity. In their next report, I would welcome their reflections on this process, including how Government can best support new councils in meeting their best value duty from day one and any urgent issues beyond the commissioners’ remit.
This report is published at an important stage for the council, following the Government’s announcement to provide in-principle £500 million of debt repayment support for the council in 2026-27. This is a difficult position for Government representing a significant and unprecedented commitment, made necessary in the context of Woking’s acute financial failure. The announcement of debt support reflects that Woking borough council holds exceptional unsupported debt linked to historic capital practices, and that there is a value for money case for acting to protect local and national taxpayers. Any support is subject to continued assurance of the council’s financial position; the council’s commitment to reduce debt locally as far as possible within its local capacity; and value for money for the local and national taxpayer.
Thurrock council
I am today publishing the commissioners’ most recent report which I received in November 2025. I am pleased to see the continued progress made by the council and that there has been a smooth transition to the new leadership. The report notes that financial management has improved, with more transparency in reporting and that the council is embracing external reviews and public engagement, indicating a cultural shift toward greater transparency. I am pleased the council continues to take the necessary steps locally to reduce its level of debt and to support financial improvement. Government are committed to providing debt repayment support to Thurrock and Woking councils, given their significant and exceptional unsupported debt linked to historic capital practices, and the value for money case for acting to protect local and national taxpayers. Any support for Thurrock council is subject to continued assurance of the council’s financial position; the council’s commitment to reduce debt locally as far as possible within its local capacity; and value for money for the local and national taxpayer.
The commissioners’ latest report also highlights some of the risks to improvement. It is important that that the council maintains its focus on improvement and transformation alongside the broader transformation programmes of local government reorganisation and devolution.
I also note that the commissioners support the council’s desire to be given the opportunity to appoint its own chief executive rather than the role being filled by a managing director commissioner. I am writing today to the leader of the council to confirm that I am content for the council to initiate a recruitment process for a chief executive. This is on the understanding that a suitable, experienced candidate can be recruited and that the commissioners will continue to support and guide the council throughout this process; and with the expectation that the progress made so far is embedded throughout the council and that the pace of improvement continues.
If a suitable candidate is appointed, I would expect a period of overlap with the existing managing director commissioner to enable a smooth transition and handover to take place. It is evident that ongoing commissioner support will be critical to ensure the council’s improvement trajectory is maintained. Following the conclusion of the recruitment process, I intend to review what further changes would be needed to ensure the commissioner team has capacity to provide sufficient support to the council, and assurance to Ministers.
Conclusion
I am committed to working with these councils to ensure their compliance with the best value duty and the high standards of governance that local residents expect. This Government are working to deliver a consistently fit, legal and decent local government sector that provides good quality essential statutory services for all residents.
I will deposit in the House Library copies of the documents referred to, which are being published on gov.uk today. I will update the House in due course.
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Commonhold and Leasehold Reform
(1 day, 11 hours ago)
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The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)
As a Government, we made a clear and unambiguous commitment in our manifesto to act where previous Governments had failed by finally bringing the feudal leasehold system to an end. We did so on the basis of a firm conviction that it is only by extinguishing fully the historical iniquities on which the present leasehold system rests that we can ensure that the dream of home ownership is made real for millions of households across the country.
Today the Government have published the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee. This historic moment marks the beginning of the end for the feudal leasehold system that has tainted the dream of home ownership for so many.
The draft Bill will transform the experience of home ownership for millions of leaseholders across the country, modernise property law and deliver a modern housing market. It includes the following key provisions:
A new legal framework for commonhold to reform and reinvigorate this radical improvement on leasehold ownership;
A statutory restriction on new leasehold flats to ensure that in future commonhold is the default tenure;
A new process for converting to commonhold, aligned with wider enfranchisement processes to make conversion possible when at least 50% of qualifying leaseholders agree;
The abolition of leasehold forfeiture as a means of ensuring compliance with a lease agreement and its replacement with a fairer system;
The repeal of draconian powers relating to rent charges on freehold estates; and
The capping of ground rent for older leases at £250 per year, changing to a peppercorn after 40 years.
Reinvigorating commonhold
The draft Bill builds on the publication of the commonhold White Paper in March last year, which confirmed the detail of our commonhold reform programme and responded to the Law Commission thorough and expert review of commonhold law.
Commonhold is a modern home ownership structure that is used widely around the world. It is not merely an alternative to leasehold ownership, but a radical improvement on it. At the heart of the commonhold model is a simple principle: the people who should own buildings, and who should exercise control over their management, shared facilities and related costs, are not third-party landlords but the people who live in flats within them and have a direct stake in their upkeep.
In enabling flats to be owned on a freehold basis, commonhold ensures that the interests of homeowners are preserved in perpetuity rather than their value depreciating over time as it does under leasehold, and it transfers decision-making powers to homeowners so they will have a greater say over how their home is managed and the bills they pay, as well as flexibility to respond to the changing needs of their building and its residents.
Commonhold was introduced in England and Wales in 2004 through the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, but for a variety of reasons it failed to establish itself and, as a result, there are fewer than 20 commonhold developments in existence today. The 2002 legal framework also quickly became outdated, owing to the fact it was ill-suited for use in larger or mixed-use developments.
The draft Bill will reinvigorate commonhold through the introduction of a comprehensive new legal framework based on the vast majority of the recommendations made by the Law Commission in its 2020 report. It will enable commonhold to be used in the widest possible range of settings, enhancing the rights and protections of consumers while also supporting the needs of developers and lenders.
Banning new leasehold flats
To ensure that commonhold becomes the default tenure, the draft Bill also includes provisions to ban the use of leasehold for new flats. Once enacted, this will ensure that, other than in exceptional circumstances, all flats are provided as commonhold, as is the case in large parts of the world. The provisions in the draft Bill are intended to work in tandem with the ban on the use of leasehold for new houses contained in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024.
Alongside publication of the draft Bill today, we have published a “Moving to commonhold” consultation, seeking input from industry and consumers on precisely how we implement the new ban. The feedback received will ensure that we can proceed with a smooth transition to commonhold for new flats, while at the same time protecting the supply of new homes and determining whether there is a case for any justified exemptions.
Facilitating commonhold conversion
The draft Bill also includes measures to make it easier for existing leaseholders to convert their buildings to commonhold. The relevant provisions respond to proposals made by the Law Commission to make conversion more accessible by reducing the consent threshold for conversion.
The existing law sets out a process for conversion, but it is one that requires consent from everyone with an interest in the block. This sets an unacceptably high bar and means that commonhold is not achievable if even a single unit owner, lender or the existing freeholder objects. The draft Bill will introduce a new process for conversion—one that brings conversion into line with wider enfranchisement processes and will make conversion possible if at least 50% of qualifying leaseholders agree.
Abolishing forfeiture
The draft Bill also contains a number of vital reforms to the existing leasehold system that the previous Government’s Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 left untouched. Chief among them are provisions to end the disproportionate and draconian threat of forfeiture as a means of ensuring compliance with a lease agreement.
For too long, outdated forfeiture laws have allowed landlords to threaten people with losing their home and hard-earned equity over small debts of as little as £350, or any amount if left unpaid for three years. The draft Bill contains provisions to abolish forfeiture and introduce a modern, proportionate lease enforcement system that addresses breaches fairly, with appropriate safeguards and judicial oversight.
Repealing draconian powers relating to rent charges
To better protect homeowners on freehold estates, the draft Bill will repeal draconian enforcement powers that apply to estate rent charges on them. These powers, often difficult to find in deeds and poorly understood by buyers, can lead to rent charge owners taking possession of or granting a lease over a freehold home as a result of small sums outstanding. That is not just unfair, but creates real barriers to home ownership and property sales. The draft Bill will remove those powers and the unnecessary obstacles that drive up costs and uncertainty for freehold estate homeowners.
Capping ground rent
The Government are acutely aware that the cost of living remains a pressing concern for leaseholders across England and Wales and that those who remain subject to unfair and unreasonable practices need urgent relief.
That is why last summer we consulted, jointly with the Welsh Government, on a range of proposals to hold landlords and managing agents to account for the services they provide and the charges and fees they levy. At the heart of that consultation were measures to increase transparency over service charges and enhance access to redress, but it also included proposals to reform the section 20 “major works” procedure and strengthen regulation of managing agents. We thank all those who responded to the consultation and will set out details of how we intend to implement the measures in question as soon as possible.
However, the Government are determined to go further to alleviate the cost of living pressures facing leaseholders. In our manifesto, we committed to tackling unregulated and unaffordable ground rent charges, and the draft Bill honours that commitment.
Historically, ground rents, which often entail no service being provided whatsoever, were of low or nominal value. However, over the past two decades a practice has developed of freeholders including high and escalating ground rent clauses in leases. Such clauses are causing leaseholders considerable financial strain, and some are unable to sell or remortgage their properties as a result.
The draft Bill will cap ground rents at £250 per year initially, changing to a peppercorn after 40 years. This approach, which will apply to most long residential leases not already covered by existing legislation, will provide immediate financial relief for leaseholders with high and harmful ground rents, helping to support leaseholders currently struggling to get a mortgage, and removing unnecessary blockers to buying and selling. The longer-term change to a peppercorn cap will eliminate the two-tier market between new and older leases, delivering a fair and efficient modern housing market.
These reforms will necessarily have effects on existing contractual arrangements and investments, something that this Government do not undertake lightly. However, the Government have a mandate to tackle unregulated and unaffordable ground rent charges, and our approach has been designed to strike a fair balance between the interests of leaseholders, freeholders and investors, maintaining the reputation of the UK as a safe place to invest.
Rectifying flaws in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024
As set out in a previous written ministerial statement I made on this subject —[Official Report, 21 November 2024; Vol. 757, c. 24WS.]—(HCWS244), the 2024 Act contains a small number of specific but serious flaws that prevent certain provisions from operating as intended and that need to be rectified via primary legislation.
Although this is not included in the draft Bill, our intention is to rectify those flaws in primary legislation. Among other things, this will allow us to commence the 2024 Act’s enfranchisement provisions. Valuation rates used to calculate the enfranchisement premium will be set by the Secretary of State in secondary legislation. We will consult on valuation rates as soon as possible, ahead of commencing the relevant provisions.
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