This Month In Social Housing: December 2025
And just like that, we’re into January. The decorations are (mostly) down, the out-of-office replies have been retired for another year, and we’re all pretending the festive slowdown didn’t happen quite as abruptly as it did. December may have disappeared in a blur of deadlines, draft budgets and “we’ll deal with that in the new year” conversations, but the social housing sector didn’t exactly ease off the gas.
As the final month of the year played out, there was still plenty happening behind the scenes — from policy decisions and regulatory signals to data drops that will shape the months ahead. So, before 2025 properly finds its feet, here’s your chance to catch up on the stories that closed out the year in the December edition of This Month in Social Housing…
Asylum Housing System Nearing Breaking Point as Shift to Local Model Depends on Adequate Funding, Report Warns
The UK’s asylum housing system is at a “tipping point”, according to a new report by Refugee Action, which warns that the current contractor-led model is “wasting public money on rip-off contractors”. With hotels housing around a third of people seeking asylum and driving spiralling costs, total spending is now forecast to reach £15.3bn by 2029. Refugee Action argues the system mirrors the wider housing crisis, embedding a “profiteering logic” also seen in temporary accommodation. The charity is calling for a return to locally run provision, led by councils, but cautions that decentralisation will fail without proper funding. Chief executive Tim Naor Hilton said locally delivered housing offers “a humane, accountable and value-for-money model”, but stressed that reform would require “substantial new investment” and rebuilt trust between central and local government.
Crisis Finds 31% of Housing Associations Regularly Flag Homes as Unsuitable at Pre-Tenancy Stage
Nearly one-third of housing associations say pre-tenancy checks (PTCs) regularly uncover issues that mean homes offered to applicants are unsuitable, according to a new briefing from Crisis. The research highlights affordability as a key factor, with welfare reforms and the benefit cap often leaving larger families unable to sustain tenancies. While staff stressed PTCs are designed to support long-term tenancy success rather than refuse homes, the report found offers are sometimes withdrawn on financial grounds. It also points to growing tension between councils and housing associations over nominations, with councils accusing landlords of rejecting applicants and associations citing poor information sharing. Crisis chief executive Matt Downie warned that “if people cannot afford social housing, where do they go?”, calling for benefit reform and a shift towards a Scottish-style allocations system.
Government Considers Banning Referral Fees to Clamp Down on ‘Unscrupulous’ Housing Disrepair Claims
The government is considering a ban on referral fees for housing disrepair claims as part of a wider effort to clamp down on “unscrupulous” claim-farming in the sector. In a joint call for evidence, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Justice said the issue risks exploiting vulnerable tenants and unfairly targeting landlords, particularly as Awaab’s Law is expected to drive an increase in claims. While acknowledging that claims management companies can play a “valuable role”, the government warned that some actors may not be acting in tenants’ best interests, leaving people exposed to “unclear or unexpected costs”. Ministers are also reviewing court processes, including whether raising the small claims limit could deter unmeritorious cases. The consultation runs until February 2026.
£3.5bn National Homelessness Plan Aims to Halve Rough Sleeping and End B&B Use for Families
The government has unveiled a £3.5bn National Plan to End Homelessness, pledging to halve the number of people sleeping rough long term by the end of parliament and to end the unlawful use of B&Bs for families. The cross-party strategy, first promised in Labour’s 2024 manifesto, aims to “rewire the system” by focusing on prevention, accountability and collaboration across public services. Housing secretary Steve Reed said the plan was shaped by “the voices of those who’ve lived through homelessness” and would help make homelessness “rare, brief and not repeated”. Measures include new funding for supported housing, councils and voluntary groups, alongside plans to prevent people leaving institutions such as prisons or hospitals from becoming homeless. Ministers said progress will be closely monitored through national reporting and local action plans.
UK Government Weighs Up Scottish-Style Social Housing Allocation System for England
The government is considering a major shake-up of social housing allocations in England, including a Scottish-style duty that could require social landlords to house people experiencing homelessness. In its new national homelessness strategy, ministers said they would take “immediate action” to ensure social housing stock is used by those who need it most, warning that further legislative levers could follow if council–landlord nomination arrangements are not working effectively. Crisis welcomed the move, with head of policy Jasmine Basran saying similar laws in Scotland help ensure homeless households can access social homes and would “immediately bring down the number of people who are facing homelessness” in England. The strategy also promises clearer national guidance on allocations, following evidence of a “postcode lottery” that can exclude applicants with rent arrears or complex tenancy histories.
And that wraps up the final edition of This Month in Social Housing for the year. The mince pies are gone, the inboxes are filling back up, and the year has officially shifted into “right, let’s get on with it” mode. But if the closing weeks of last year were anything to go by, there’s no shortage of big conversations, fresh data, and policy developments waiting in the wings.
We’ll be back towards the end of January with more stories, insights, and sector updates to kick off 2025 properly. Until then, here’s to a steady start, fewer meetings that could’ve been emails, and a strong run into the year ahead. Au revoir!
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