Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

The Government is committed to cutting the cost of politics.

The £250 million figure was calculated based on estimated savings from the potential reduction in local councillors through Local Government Reorganisation and from the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners

For councillors, this is based on £120 million of savings through a potential reduction in the number of councillors by 5,000. The Government estimated savings on councillor expenditure of £40 million per year from 2028/2029 when new unitarity councils are due to be established, through to the end of the fiscal forecast period in 2030/31.

Our estimates are based on the range of councillors and number of new authorities post-reorganisation based on the proposals and initial plans under discussion in local areas, the announced approach for reorganisation in Surrey, as well as the Local Government Boundary Commission 2024/25 data on councillor numbers and sampling councillor expenditure from current upper and lower tier authorities. Our estimates are rounded mid-points as the exact figures will naturally depend on decisions on which, if any, proposals for reorganisation are implemented.

The remaining £130 million is based on estimated net savings from the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners over 5 years.

Local authorities are independent of central government. They must uphold their obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998 to ensure their actions are compatible with rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association. The Equality and Human Rights Commission provides guidance on these specific matters.

The government published the local government finance policy statement Local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29 - GOV.UK and government response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0 on Thursday 20 November, which set out the government’s plans to introduce a fairer and evidence-led system, that will realign funding with need and deprivation.

The government has used the most robust and up to date evidence available. On this basis, we are now using data from the recently published 2025 Indices of Multiple Deprivation in our assessment of need.

We will publish provisional local authority allocations at the upcoming provisional multi-year Settlement in December. Proposals and allocations will be subject to consultation and the usual Parliamentary process.

The government will also include technical annexes for each ‘relative need formula’ – including those which use updated deprivation data – at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (IoD25) on Thursday 30th October 2025. All resources can be accessed online here - English indices of deprivation 2025 - GOV.UK.

The Government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here.

We are also investing £3.5 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention.

The Government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here.

We are also investing £3.5 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention.

The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.

Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.

Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.

The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.

Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.

Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.

The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.

Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.

Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.

Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, local planning authorities have various powers to decline to determine planning applications. These include the power to decline to determine a retrospective planning application where an enforcement notice has already been issued (section 70C) and the power to decline to determine repeat planning applications (section 70A).

It is for local planning authorities to decide when and how they use these powers.

The Government recognises the importance of the effective and timely handling of written parliamentary questions (PQs).

The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental PQ performance and publishes a report of the government’s consolidated PQ data following the end of each session.

The government recognises that the community-led housing sector delivers a wide range of benefits including strengthening community participation in local decision-making, engendering community cohesion, achieving high quality design and strengthening the co-operative economy.

In March, we announced a £20m 10-year social finance investment to provide capital finance for community-led housing, which is expected to directly support the construction of more than 2,500 new homes over the next decade. These housebuilding projects will be led by communities to specifically address local needs in their area.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December strengthened support for community-led housing, including through changes to the size limit on community-led exception sites and a broadening of the definition of organisations able to deliver community-led housing.

The new Social and Affordable Homes Programme seeks to support an increase in the delivery of community-led and rural housing. The flexibility in grant rates provided for under the new programme will help community-led schemes achieve viability and help the sector grow towards its full potential.

The government is also considering opportunities to legislate to establish a legal framework for a co-operative housing tenure, which would help formalise the rights and responsibilities of both co-operatives and their tenants, and make co-operative housing a more attractive option.

Political parties, candidates and third-party campaigners are subject to strict campaign spending limits and transparency requirements at UK elections. Registered third-party campaigners are required to report all forms of donations related to their campaign activity above the relevant thresholds in their spending returns to the Electoral Commission. Electoral law only covers donations given specifically for regulated campaign activity; it does not cover general income or revenue, whether from social media platforms or other sources. As set out in our Strategy for Modern Elections, we are taking forward a package of measures to strengthen the rules around political finance, some of which will apply to third-party campaigners.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) works closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) on the full range of wildfire risks to strengthen preparedness and improve response, including potential impacts on urban areas. We also continue to work closely with partners across government, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and wider stakeholders, to identify policy options for addressing wildfire risk at the national level.

Since 2024, the Government has funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional wildfire national capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to wildfire risk and to ensure coordination of approaches across the sector.

The Government has no plans to compulsorily purchase substandard housing in England directly. However, it has included measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to improve and speed-up how authorities can take possession of substandard housing through compulsory purchase.

The Bill also makes the home loss payments regime fairer in relation to the compulsory purchase of substandard housing.

There are an estimated 39,000 - 59,000 mid-rise (between 11m and 18m in height) residential buildings in England. A description of the methodology for the estimate can be found in the technical note that accompanies the monthly remediation data release. It can be found (attached) here: Building Safety Remediation: Technical note October 2025 - GOV.UK

The Government does not collect data on UK-wide housebuilding as housing is a devolved matter.

The Department publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which includes an estimate of the number of net additional dwellings in England since the start of parliament on 9th July 2025, and can be found (attached) on gov.uk here.

This estimate is also updated each quarter in the quarterly release series entitled ‘Housing supply: indicators of new supply, England’, available (attached) on gov.uk here.

The Planning Inspector's Report was received by the Department on 10 June.

Following careful analysis of the report, the Secretary of State referred back to parties on a number of matters, including the redacted drawings, on 6 August. The reference back process is on-going.

Full reasons for the decision and a list of post-inquiry representations will be set out in the final decision letter.

My Department collects data on the economic activity of households by tenure in England, through the English Housing Survey, which can be found in Annex table 1.3 (attached) here English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: headline findings on demographics and household resilience - GOV.UK.

In England, 59% of social rented households had a household reference person (HRP) who was not in work. Of all social rented households 1% of HRPs were in full-time education, 7% were unemployed, 26% were retired and 25% were ‘other inactive’, a group that includes those with a long-term illness or disability and those who were looking after the family or home.

MHCLG sponsors and funds the Valuation Tribunal for England (VTE). The Department keeps the VTE’s funding under review to ensure it can respond to any appeals within the local tax system. Any additional burdens that result from new taxes will need to be funded. The government will consult on the design and operation of the High Value Council Tax Surcharge early in 2026.

The Government has announced that it is minded to hold the inaugural mayoral elections for Sussex and Brighton, Hampshire and the Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk, and Greater Essex in May 2028, with areas completing the local government reorganisation process before Mayors take office. This decision has been taken because devolution is strongest when it is built on strong foundations. The Government intends to establish Mayoral Strategic Authorities via secondary legislation for all the Devolution Priority Programme areas as soon as possible, subject to the councils’ consent.

The English Devolution White Paper set out a clear and transparent pathway for areas to be designated as Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities, and thereby become eligible for an Integrated Settlement.

Any future designation of Cornwall Council as a Single Foundation Strategic Authority would mark the beginning of its journey through the devolution framework, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation.

The Government is separately investing in Cornwall’s economic opportunities with a new 'Kernow Industrial Growth Fund' announced by the Chancellor at Autumn Budget 2025. This fund delivers on the Industrial Strategy’s commitment to harness regional strengths. It will provide £30 million over 2026-27 and 2027-28 to Cornwall Council, to invest in Cornwall's sectoral advantages such as critical minerals, renewable energy and marine innovation, subject to business cases. This builds on the Government’s recent £28.6 million National Wealth Fund investment in Cornish Metals, signalling a clear commitment to unlock Cornwall’s potential as a clean growth powerhouse.

We commissioned Keep Britain Tidy to conduct a rapid evidence review on the returns on investment for parks funding, using a combination of up MHCLG programme budget and underspend from the Green Flag Award. There is substantial evidence outlining the investment benefits of parks and green spaces. However, no research to date has brought this evidence together, therefore MHCLG commissioned this research to assess the return on investment for every £1 of funding provided to parks to achieve these benefits.

Researchers conducted a literature review, followed by consulting experts within the parks sector to bring together evidence. The report finds cost savings from investing in parks by reducing healthcare costs, aiding climate change mitigation, boosting local business and reducing crime. For example, the report finds evidence of cost savings between £8.50 and £30.30 for every £1 invested in parks as a result of reducing healthcare costs.

The review also addresses the lack of up to date, reliable data. In highlighting this, the report makes a case for further, comparable research projects in this field to be undertaken. This lack of evidence is also a factor affecting the ability of the report to provide specific parks investment recommendations. The report highlights that in addressing these issues surrounding the available evidence, a clearer understanding of the return for every £1 invested in parks can be attained.

The devolution framework in the English Devolution White Paper commits to a simplified funding landscape for Mayoral and Foundation Strategic Authorities.

Foundation Strategic Authorities receive a single allocation from the Adult Skills Fund to support education and training for adults aged 19 and above. Foundation Strategic Authorities will also have their transport funding consolidated. Places will be held accountable through a transport-specific accountability framework with a proportionate outcomes framework and metrics. The Government is also committed to providing areas with certainty over the entirety of the Spending Review period. The Local Authority Bus Grant ended the short-term approach to bus funding and gives councils the certainty they need to plan ahead.

The White Paper also set out a clear and transparent pathway to unlocking higher levels of devolution reserved for the most mature institutions, including access to the Integrated Settlement for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities.

As set out to the House on 28 October, we considered the two proposals for unitary local government received from Surrey councils on 9 May together with the responses to the consultation, representations and all other relevant information. In our judgement the proposal for East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council better meets the criteria set out in the invitation of 5 February 2025. In particular, we believe it performs better against the second criterion, as it is more likely to be financially sustainable. West Surrey Council will, subject to Parliament, comprise the current districts of Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley, and Woking.

On 28 October, we also announced our commitment to repay in-principle £500 million of Woking Borough Council’s debt in 2026-27. This is a significant and unprecedented commitment given historic capital practices at the Council and the value for money case for acting to protect local and national taxpayers. This is a first tranche of repayment support, and we will continue to explore what further debt support is required at a later point. The Government remains committed to achieving the best value for money for the taxpayer in the rationalisation of Woking’s assets, and this process is likely to continue past vesting day in West Surrey. We are committed to supporting the new council with the rationalisation of Woking’s assets, whether through the provision of interim financial support and/or commercial support and expertise until this process is complete.

Our starting point is for all elections to go ahead unless there is strong justification otherwise.

The Plan for Change set out the government’s aim to build empowered, simplified, resilient and sustainable local government that will increase value for money for council taxpayers and enable more funding to be spent on local public services.

The statutory consultation for local government reorganisation in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton is now open, in accordance with the requirements of the legislation, and will close on 11 January. Once this statutory consultation is concluded, Ministers will decide, subject to Parliamentary approval, which, if any, proposal is to be implemented, with or without modification.

In taking these decisions, Ministers will judge proposals in the round against the criteria, including the criteria which specifies that efficiencies should be identified to help improve councils’ finances and make sure that council taxpayers are getting the best possible value for their money.

At the Budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor restated the government’s commitment to implementing Social Rent convergence. We will announce a decision on how we will do so in January 2026, before the launch of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) works closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), fire and rescue services and local resilience partners to strengthen preparedness and improve response to wildfires. Since 2024, the Government has funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional wildfire national capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to wildfire risk and to ensure coordination of approaches across the sector.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that the planning system should take full account of the full range of potential climate change impacts, and that it should shape places in ways that improve resilience and minimise vulnerability. Such impacts can include wildfires. It requires local plan policies to support appropriate measures to ensure the resilience of communities and infrastructure to climate change impacts, such as providing space for physical protection measures.

The National Design Guide and National Model Design Code emphasise the importance of design in response to environmental change and challenges. It provides guidance for well-designed places that address climate change mitigation and resilience. The department intends to publish updates to the National Design Guide and National Model Design Code in due course, and we are considering the inclusion of further guidance on wildfire risk.

We continue to work closely with partners across government, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the fire sector, and with wider stakeholders to identify policy options for addressing wildfire risk at the national level.

My Department does not hold the information requested.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 95055 on 5 December 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 95055 on 5 December 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 2 July 2025 (HCWS771).

The government recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

The government recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

An issue with the availability of information shared as part of the electoral register has been raised with the Government. As stated in the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92034 on Absent Voting, the Government has no plans to make changes to the information which is shared as part of the electoral register.

The single person discount has been a feature of the council tax system since its introduction. Council tax contains both a property and a personal element. A full bill assumes that there are at least two adults living in a dwelling. Where there is only one liable adult resident in a property, the bill is reduced by 25%. This is effectively a 50% reduction in the personal element of the bill. The Government has no plans to change the single person discount.

The council tax system contains a wide range of discounts and exemptions to reflect personal circumstances. This includes Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) schemes which provide a council tax reduction for low-income households.

Responsibility for fire safety building regulations and evacuation both now sit within MHCLG policy responsibilities.

All new building work must meet the functional requirements of Building Regulations, including a means of warning and escape in case of fire to a place of safety outside the building that is capable of being safely and effectively used at all material times. In non-common building situations, which may include very tall buildings, a fire engineered solution may be necessary.

Government published Means of escape in residential buildings earlier this year; this analysis covers evacuation strategies in relation to high-rise residential buildings, taking into account building design, fire alarm systems and human behaviour.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77534 on 17 October 2025.

The Electoral Commission’s 2023 report on electoral registers found that young people are among the least likely groups to be registered to vote.

As set out in our Strategy for modern and secure elections, the Government is committed to improving voter registration, which includes work to support groups who are less likely to be registered.

A comprehensive programme of work is underway, involving collaboration with the Electoral Commission, local authorities, think tanks, academics, and civil society organisations. This programme is focused on identifying the attitudinal and knowledge barriers that prevent those with historically low participation, including young people, from becoming democratically active, and on exploring effective interventions to overcome these challenges.

Over the coming years, we will work to create a new automated registration system, removing key barriers to eligible citizens participating in our democracy. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote – registering to vote is a vital first step towards doing that.

We also want to build and encourage long-lasting engagement of young people with our democracy. Evidence from places that have lowered the voting age shows that doing so can increase turnout when implemented in a supportive environment. That is why the Government is committed to extending the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds and working alongside the Electoral Commission and civil society organisations to ensure that young people are both prepared and motivated to exercise their democratic rights. We hope that this early engagement will build the foundations for lifetime participation in our electoral processes.

While we are making these changes, we want to talk to young people to ensure we’re putting their needs at the centre of our policy making. We will work with other key actors to consider what additional measures can support schools, colleges, and youth groups to roll out practical voter/civic education. We know that it is imperative that citizenship education is fit for purpose in order to support this change. Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review and its recommendations to the Government, we have committed to make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and to publish revised programmes of study to ensure that all pupils receive an essential grounding in a range of topics including democracy, government and law. The Department for Education will consult on programmes of study next year and the new national curriculum will be published in 2027 for first teaching in 2028.

Altogether, we will create an environment in which young people understand their rights and responsibilities, and where they are equipped and empowered to participate in our democracy.

The Electoral Commission’s 2023 report on electoral registers found that young people are among the least likely groups to be registered to vote.

As set out in our Strategy for modern and secure elections, the Government is committed to improving voter registration, which includes work to support groups who are less likely to be registered.

A comprehensive programme of work is underway, involving collaboration with the Electoral Commission, local authorities, think tanks, academics, and civil society organisations. This programme is focused on identifying the attitudinal and knowledge barriers that prevent those with historically low participation, including young people, from becoming democratically active, and on exploring effective interventions to overcome these challenges.

Over the coming years, we will work to create a new automated registration system, removing key barriers to eligible citizens participating in our democracy. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote – registering to vote is a vital first step towards doing that.

We also want to build and encourage long-lasting engagement of young people with our democracy. Evidence from places that have lowered the voting age shows that doing so can increase turnout when implemented in a supportive environment. That is why the Government is committed to extending the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds and working alongside the Electoral Commission and civil society organisations to ensure that young people are both prepared and motivated to exercise their democratic rights. We hope that this early engagement will build the foundations for lifetime participation in our electoral processes.

While we are making these changes, we want to talk to young people to ensure we’re putting their needs at the centre of our policy making. We will work with other key actors to consider what additional measures can support schools, colleges, and youth groups to roll out practical voter/civic education. We know that it is imperative that citizenship education is fit for purpose in order to support this change. Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review and its recommendations to the Government, we have committed to make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and to publish revised programmes of study to ensure that all pupils receive an essential grounding in a range of topics including democracy, government and law. The Department for Education will consult on programmes of study next year and the new national curriculum will be published in 2027 for first teaching in 2028.

Altogether, we will create an environment in which young people understand their rights and responsibilities, and where they are equipped and empowered to participate in our democracy.

The Electoral Commission’s 2023 report on electoral registers found that young people are among the least likely groups to be registered to vote.

As set out in our Strategy for modern and secure elections, the Government is committed to improving voter registration, which includes work to support groups who are less likely to be registered.

A comprehensive programme of work is underway, involving collaboration with the Electoral Commission, local authorities, think tanks, academics, and civil society organisations. This programme is focused on identifying the attitudinal and knowledge barriers that prevent those with historically low participation, including young people, from becoming democratically active, and on exploring effective interventions to overcome these challenges.

Over the coming years, we will work to create a new automated registration system, removing key barriers to eligible citizens participating in our democracy. We want young people to find their voice and exercise their right to vote – registering to vote is a vital first step towards doing that.

We also want to build and encourage long-lasting engagement of young people with our democracy. Evidence from places that have lowered the voting age shows that doing so can increase turnout when implemented in a supportive environment. That is why the Government is committed to extending the right to vote to 16-and-17-year-olds and working alongside the Electoral Commission and civil society organisations to ensure that young people are both prepared and motivated to exercise their democratic rights. We hope that this early engagement will build the foundations for lifetime participation in our electoral processes.

While we are making these changes, we want to talk to young people to ensure we’re putting their needs at the centre of our policy making. We will work with other key actors to consider what additional measures can support schools, colleges, and youth groups to roll out practical voter/civic education. We know that it is imperative that citizenship education is fit for purpose in order to support this change. Following the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review and its recommendations to the Government, we have committed to make citizenship compulsory in primary schools and to publish revised programmes of study to ensure that all pupils receive an essential grounding in a range of topics including democracy, government and law. The Department for Education will consult on programmes of study next year and the new national curriculum will be published in 2027 for first teaching in 2028.

Altogether, we will create an environment in which young people understand their rights and responsibilities, and where they are equipped and empowered to participate in our democracy.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 59114 on 19 June 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 88657 on 21 November 2025.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer given to UIN 60128 on 4 July 2025.