Each year, housing associations that are registered with the Housing Corporation are required to complete the Housing Corporation's Regulatory and Statistical Return. As well as providing the Housing Corporation with key data used in its approach to regulating the sector, the survey also constitutes an annual census of the sector. However, this data has not been held in a way that facilitates longitudinal analysis This data represents a potentially rich source for analysis or sector change, making rationalisation of the data into a relational database relevant for time-series analysis. Two linked databases, incorporating data from 1989-2001 and 2002 onwards (when the RSR was restructured) have bee created, to facilitate longitudinal analysis of this rich source of information about the HA sector.
Housing associations (HAs) are increasingly seen as having a role beyond the provision of Social rented housing. Many now own and/or manage non-social housing stock as well as being involved in non-housing activities. This project aims to provide a picture of the extent to which HAs are involved in these activities.
Most Housing Associations operate in just one local authority area but a handful of the largest operate in over 100 districts in England. Meanwhile local authorities are encouraged to transfer their stock to Housing Associations through large scale stock transfer, creating a new form of housing association, the large association with all its stock in one local authority. This Sector Study examines the distribution of RSLs and their stock at the local authority level. It finds some areas where the fragmented distribution of stock between many HAs could inhibit efficient local provision, while in other areas the domination of local provision by one or two associations could diminish tenant choice, another important factor in current housing policy.
This study investigates the extent to which housing associations (HAs) are involved in the provision of homes on the intermediate market and the form of that provision.
There is a trend for an increasing volume of local authority housing stock to be involved in large-scale stock transfer (LSVT) each year. Although initially favoured by districts with sound stock and low levels of housing debt, policy changes have now encouraged more metropolitan areas to make partial transfers of their poorer stock. This Sector Study examines the growth and spread of LSVT associations, their effect on the HA stock profile at district level, the changes in vacancy rates associated with the transfer of stock needing renovation and the difference in tenant profiles of LSVT and non-LSVT HAs.
This briefing paper reviews the nature and complexity of HA group structures and their activities in terms of what was learnt about their operational realities, their impact on the current statistical profile of the sector and the implications of this for the Housing Corporation in any review of their approach to groups.
The evaluation of the changes relating to Sheltered and Supported Housing will take place from September 2005 to the end of January 2006. The first stage will be a quantitative analysis clarifying whether the changes are as expected and therefore whether what has been asked for is what has been reported. This is particularly important in relation to the time series data. In the second stage, any evidence of significant differences will the analysed through interviews with relevant HAs. Depending on the problems encountered there will be a third stage involving a series of interviews with associations where major changes in categorisation have occurred and those who have experienced little change to assess whether the new definitions reflect real differences; how demands vary between categories of housing; and HA attitudes to the definitions now they have been operationalized.
This report uses Regulatory and Statistical Return (RSR) data for 2002 to provide some base data on the number of Housing Associations and units involved in this type of stock management. It breaks data down between types and sizes of HA to examine which HAs are most involved in this type of stock management.
This report draws on the Existing Tenants Survey to examine rents in the social housing sector. Variations are primarily explained by size of dwelling and location, with rents in London highest, and set to rise further to meet target rents. However, there are also differences between new and existing tenants and working and non-working households. The authors note that local average rents should be treated with some caution as the survey points to considerable variation in the rents faced by individual tenants within local areas.
This report compares the residential mobility of social tenants and households entering LCHO in London with mobility in the northern regions of England.
The third annual analysis of registered social landlords' performance in limiting rent increases. It is also the first in the series of Sector Studies (Research and Good Practice).
This study concentrates on four aspects of household mobility in the northern regions:The results reflect a generally immobile sector across all regions in the north with very little systematic pattern in terms of the mobility that does occur.
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.
This research focuses on HAs that have submitted data once or sporadically since November 2005. The aim is to find out the reasons HAs do not submit NROSH data on a regular basis and what can be done to ease the process. This follows Phase I of the research which focused on HAs that submit data on a regular basis.
Dataspring has been providing assistance to the Housing Corporation evaluating the implications for data collection via the National Register of Social Housing (NRSOH).Currently data collected for regulatory purposes by the Housing Corporation is collected via their annual Regulatory and Statistical Return (RSR), which all HAs are required to complete on a stock wide basis. The ODPM plans to introduce NROSH as a means of data collection on an individual property basis from both HAs and LAs in the near future. Dataspring have been commissioned to evaluate if NROSH alone will suffice as a means of data collection for the Housing Corporation’s regulatory purposes.
This Sector Study builds on the earlier report 'Sector Study 10: The spatial distribution of general needs housing associations and their stock'. This report uses the same measures of concentration to compare distribution of all social housing stock between social landlords within local authorities. It therefore provides a measure of the effect of large scale voluntary transfer on HAs and tenants in transfer LAs in terms of stock distribution and choice.
This study aims to assess evidence on the extent to which households in the social sector in London are prepared to move together with the attributes of households and dwellings that help to determine their attitudes and requirements. The results show that mobility in the social sector in London is far less than in other sectors and is clearly less than those living in the rest of the country. The vast majority of moves are within the same districts. Their reasons for being offered a move are generally to do with their current housing conditions and relatively few involve significant choices in relation to location. However, those moving into low cost home ownership, although they are still more likely to move within the district, have a slightly greater choice of locality and tend if anything to move to lower cost areas.
The government has identified the need to concentrate investment, both public and private, in the provision of low-cost homeownership (LCHO) as first time buyers find it more and more difficult to access owner-occupation through traditional open market routes. New initiatives are concerned with increasing the role of private finance through equity mortgages as well as providing a range of shared ownership schemes aimed at key workers and pressure areas. This raises important issues for both private finance institution and government: the institutions are taking on new risks about which they know little, while government wishes to target assistance closely on those who cannot achieve owner-occupation in other ways.
This research, commissioned by Communities and Local Government, considers how to adjust for missing local authority data within the Continuous Recording of Lettings (LA CORE) system.
This project looks at how service charges applied to general needs stock by housing associations (HA) vary between different property types and sizes, and between types of HA.
Understanding the relationship between rents and service charges is important for all stakeholders in the HA sector. Tenants need to budget for their housing costs by understanding what elements of those costs relate to rent and service charges and which elements of these costs can be met from housing benefit payments. HAs must determine their overall incomes in such a way that costs can be covered from this income. This paper aims to clarify the relationship between service charges and gross and net rents; and how they vary between different property sizes, areas and types of housing association (HA) - Large Scale Voluntary Transfer (LSVT) HAs, Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) HAs and mainstream HAs.
The HA Sector Trends project brings together 15 years of data from the RSR, the annual census of HAs registered with the Housing Corporation, to form a cohesive relational database. This gives added value to the data as it can now be used for time series analysis to determine trends in the HA sector and relate these to changes in policy, finance and regulation. Such data is also useful for scenario planning for future directions.
Average housing association rents and service charges for the combined categories, supported housing and housing for older people (supported housing /HOP), by local authority area were collected by the Housing Corporation for the first time in 2005. This project looks in detail at these figures.
Guide to Rents, Parts I, II and III: together these publications provide the data to undertake comparisons of rents geographically for all three rented sectors, between individual HAs and between individual LAs. A summary of the key findings from the data are provided with the data tables. Part I includes cross tenure rents for LAs. Parts II and III include HA rent levels for individual HAs both nationally and locally, for general needs and supported housing respectively. The Guide also includes information about HA target rents.
The main purpose of this study was to assess the use of the Continuous Recording system of lettings and sales (CORE) by RSLs as a tool to use when measuring affordability. The study aimed to determine how RSLs take account of affordability in their rent setting policies, to clarify which factors should be taken into account to achieve affordability, and to assess the potential of CORE and other data to assist RSLs in setting affordable rents. The analysis found that current practice among RSLs is often limited to qualitative understanding or to the comparison of rent levels with those of other RSLs. There is little clear guidance on the definition of affordability and a lack of appropriate incomes data. This hampers RSLs' ability to assess the affordability of their rents. Much can be done using existing data sources, particularly CORE data, which will remain the most important source of incomes data. Finally, monitoring affordability at the local and individual RSL level will remain important even if Government recommendations on rent determination are fully implemented.
This paper will analyse the relationship between social sector rents and house prices in order to examine the viability of the sector in that rents are the only form of return available to the social sector landlord (unlike in the private sector where capital gains are relevant).
This paper will analyse the relationship between private sector rents and house prices in order to examine the viability of the sector in that rents are the only form of return available to the private sector landlord.
The original reason for this research was to assess the extent to which it would be appropriate to use lower quartile house prices as a surrogate for private rents in regional and local analysis in the light of the difficulties in obtaining Rent Officer Service data on the rents they determine for Housing Benefit purposes. Since the work was commissioned it has proved possible to obtain these data directly so the need for a surrogate is obviated. However the more fundamental issues of tenure choice among lower income households and the extent to which the two sectors act as substitutes in different markets remain as do the questions of whether the processes of rent determination for tenants on Housing Benefit distorts outcomes in different markets.
As a baseline of reviewing the rent restructuring regime of 2000, this paper will analyse the current pattern of key variables for registered social landlord (RSL) rents at detailed geographical levels. This paper will also assess the current RSL rent patterns in terms of size effects and local effects.
This project draws comparisons of stock, rents and service charges between four different types of social landlord; Traditional mixed funded Registered Social LandLords (RSLs); RSLs who have taken over local authority stock via Large Scale Voluntary Transfer; Local authorities (retention LAs); and Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMO).
This study examines changes in house prices, RSL rents and the comparative costs of low cost home ownership and RSL renting over the decade 1989/90 to 1998/99. A simple comparison using house prices is not sufficient because even when house prices are rising, the weekly costs of a mortgage and insurance may be falling. The study shows that in some areas it is as cheap to buy a house at the lower end of the market as it is to rent from an RSL. At the other extreme, there is a growing group of households who are not eligible for assistance with their housing costs, yet cannot afford to rent or purchase in the private sector. RSLs need to look at the weekly costs of owner occupation as well as comparing their own rents with those in the private sector, the local authority sector and other RSLs.
These papers compare the findings on RSL sector and the private rented sector to provide a clear picture of the extent to which rent and rate of return differentials vary by area, type, etc.
Almshouse charities have been active in providing social housing, mostly for older people, for centuries. This project looks at the profile of almshouse charities registered with the Housing Corporation
This project looks at the affordability in the housing associating (HA) sector. It also compares the position of HA tenants with those in the private rented and owner-occupier sector.
Using data from the RSR and CORE, this paper examines recent changes in the Housing Association (HA) sector and interprets these in the light of changing emphases in government housing policy. The specific focus is on changes in the distribution of HAs across England and the emergence of particular cohorts within the sector, notably the new HAs set up to receive units transferred under the large-scale voluntary transfer (LSVT) programme, the Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) HAs and the move towards the provision of housing for shared ownership
In the past RSLs have tended to compare their rents with those in the private rented sector to ensure competitiveness. Yet in some parts of the country there is now little difference between the weekly costs of home ownership at the bottom end of the market and renting from RSLs. Given the preference for home ownership and the recent expansion in the sector, this has implications for RSLs who may find themselves facing problems in terms of marketing and maintaining balanced communities. This Sector Study examines the gap between the weekly costs of home ownership and RSL rents over the last decade and how this varies across the country and the implications for RSLs when setting their rents.
