Home Connections Conference 16 th October Does Scotland Do It better ? Jim Hayton – ALACHO Policy Manager
Why Scotland’s different Scottish Parliament est. 1998, with 73 MSPs elected by PR) Since 2007 governed by SNP, with large majority since 2011 ( hence referndum) Devolution means control of health, housing, education and other services But not foreign policy, defence, welfare and taxation Finance under “Barnett formula” (Scotland gets roughly 10% of Westminster resources) & so able to pursue distinctive policy (elderly care, prescriptions tuition fees etc) Scale (everyone knows each other too !)
Housing Policy - What’s Different About Scotland ? Affordable Housing Supply Right to Buy HRA Accounts Private Rented Sector Homelessness / Housing Options Welfare reform Health &Social Care?
Affordable Housing Supply Grants 40 k for Councils / 58 k for HAs Target 6000 pa affordable (4000 social) – on target but not enough Ave rent council c £ 65 Ave HA rent c £ 75 Ave council England c£ 80 -£ 85 Ave HA England ?
Right to Buy Shortly to be abolished in Scotland (two year window) Wide consultation and broad consensus on abolition Had been popular with tenants(and lucrative for councils ) but tailed off significantly in recent years (discounts and impact of recession) Last minute “spike” in applications
HRA Treatment Virtually no central government control over rents, or borrowing Recent guidance helpful to housing (i. e. no “leakage” permitted into general expenditure) Councils recently allowed to build again with grants to support ( though still less than) HAs
Private Rented Sector Scottish strategy for PRS with key aims of increasing provision, while improving quality and standards for tenants tenancy agreement proposes possible rent control and more So. T for tenants. Tenant HIP PLL registration, soon LA Regulation Recently published consultation on PRS
Homelessness Priority Need Abolished 2012 ( so every u/h hh entitled to settled accommodation) Housing Options has greatly reduced homeless applications Recent report from SHR – HO practice good in part but need : Common definition of HO, Clear and consistent
Welfare Reform Scotland subject to the same reforms as rest of |UK, but Action taken to mitigate the bedroom tax (£ 50 m pa cost to rest of Scottish budget ) Huge issue in referendum (though “only” 80, 000 affected ) alarm at Osborne’s recent statement on more cuts to young and those in work bens Scots want power over all welfare expenditure in post referendum settlement decision in next few months from Smith commission
What Next ? Scotland promised “extra powers” prior to referendum, but detail still awaited Seems like parties will reflect housing issues in their manifestos Will English housing policy become more like Scotland’s ?
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