Welcome to the Dataspring websiteDataspring is a research unit within the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research, specialising in UK social housing data. It has particular expertise in the stock and rents data provided by housing associations in their Regulatory Statistical Returns (RSR) to the Housing Corporation, one of the Centre's funders. Example uses of the data together with sample Dataspring reports can be found here. As a free service to the social housing community elements of two of our key databases can be interrogated online: Have you seen...Housing Associations and the movement to target rents, 2006 to 2007
Latest OutputsDetailed Analysis of the Current Pattern of Registered Social Landlord (RSL) Rents: 2001/02 – 2006/07 The report examines the RSL rent patterns over the period from 2001/02 to 2006/07. It also looks at changes in rents over the five year period from 2001/02 to 2006/07 at different spatial levels; rents by property size; and finally the rent relativities between neighbouring local authorities. Guide to local rents 2007 Part I: Cross Tenure Rents The Guide to Local Rents, Part I, II and III provide comprehensive data on the pattern in the social housing sector in England. Part I reports rents charged by housing associations (HAs), rents charged by local authorities, rents in the private rented sector and an equivalent cost of owner occupation. Housing Associations in 2007: Profile of the Housing Association Sector Summary This summary outlines the key figures in housing association stock from the Regulatory and Statistical Return 2007 dataset. Profile of the Housing Association Sector in 2007 Tables Each year, the Housing Corporation and Dataspring produce a Profile of the Housing Association (HA) sector, consisting of a set of data tables and technical papers outlining HA stockholdings and changes within the sector over the year. Please note that from 2007 onwards only Housing Associations which own and/or manage 1,000 or more units and/or bedspaces are required to complete the RSR long form. This has increased from 250 or more in previous years. |
 NewsDataspring SeminarOn 17 October 2007 the Dataspring team reported progress on the various projects they are currently undertaking for the Housing Corporation as part of their Statistical Service research contract. Presentations from the event, which was attended by board members and staff from the Housing Corporation, are available for download below. more The role of housing associations in the intermediate market
National Register of Social Housing: Lessons Learned
Martin Cave speaking at the 2nd Annual Cambridge Regulation Conference
more Response to the Cave ReviewThe Centre’s response to the Cave Review stressed the fundamental principles of inclusive regulation covering the core activities of the social rented sector it concentrated on the importance of not only putting tenants first, but also insuring sustainability of the ‘industry’ given these two over arching requirements we consider that only a fully independent regulator with responsibility across all providers can operate effectively. more |
Each year the Housing Corporation publishes data in the form of a Rent factfile, a paper that compares actual net rents to target rents as at 31 March of two consecutive years. The Rent factfile is produced on behalf of the Housing Corporation by Dataspring. This year's paper compares 31 March 2006 and 31 March 2007 and examines the extent to which actual rents have moved towards target rents. It also describes the annual change in gross rents for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007. 
A new sector study has been published looking at the extent to which housing associations are involved in the provision of homes on the intermediate market. 
NROSH is set to replace the Housing Corporation Regulatory Statistical Return as the primary way of collecting regulatory data within the next few years. To date seventy-three housing associations have provided some data via NROSH. This report highlights the lessons learned from the top six. 
Prof. Martin Cave spoke on his review of social housing regulation at a conference at Peterhouse on 12 Sep 2007. The conference, 'The End of Zero Risk Regulation' was chaired by Paul Sanderson from Dataspring. It addressed the implications of greater toleration of risk in the regulation of housing, health, transport etc. Conference papers can be downloaded 
