Civic Voice Response to the 2024 Budget
The announcement of the first Labour budget in 14 years by Chancellor Rachel Reeves has sparked significant discussion across housing, planning, and environmental sectors. Civic Voice, as the national charity for civic societies in England, has assessed the budget’s potential impacts on civic societies nationwide.
We cautiously welcome the Government’s commitment to increase funding for the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP), establish a five-year rent settlement, and introduce much-needed legislative changes to the Right to Buy scheme. The decision to allow local authorities to retain proceeds from council house sales is a long-awaited reform that will support regeneration efforts at the local level. Given the challenges councils have faced with dwindling social housing stock, this reform, which aims to boost council revenues by an estimated £1.2 billion by 2029-30, is a positive step.
The extension of the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments, with an additional £1 billion funding from 2025, is another welcome measure. However, questions remain as to whether these funds will be sufficient and effectively targeted to reach society’s most vulnerable, especially given the financial pressures many councils continue to face. Additionally, we support the £4.4 billion commitment to immediate cladding renovation in the public sector and the Warm Homes Plan, aimed at reducing fuel poverty. The £233 million allocation to address homelessness and rough sleeping is vital, yet with record levels of overcrowding and child homelessness, concerns persist about whether this funding will be sufficient to drive long-term change. Civic Voice has consistently championed the protection and extension of social housing, and we urge continued action in this area.
While these initiatives are steps in the right direction, Civic Voice believes that further measures are essential to address the challenges facing our members and communities:
1. Local Authority Planning Resources: The recruitment of 300 additional planners at the local authority level is encouraging, but more details are needed regarding their roles, experience levels, and how they will interact with central and local
governments. Civic Voice has long advocated for strong community engagement within planning teams, alongside targeted investment in initiatives like the Empty
Homes Programme and reusing our empty historic buildings. This joined-up approach is crucial to meeting the Government’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million additional homes during this parliamentary term.
2. Infrastructure Investment: Civic Voice stresses that any new housing development must be supported by investment in essential infrastructure such as public transport, schools, healthcare, and green spaces. Without these provisions, new developments risk becoming unsustainable and disconnected from established communities. The planned NHS investment should be strategically targeted, with input from local authorities to ensure that it delivers optimal outcomes for communities.
3. Skilled Workforce Retention: The scale of capital investment set out in this Budget necessitates retaining skilled personnel across local authorities, planning departments, and the construction sector. Retaining expertise in these areas will be essential to achieving the Government’s ambitious goals.
4. Innovative Housing Finance: With approximately 1.3 million households on the waiting list for affordable housing and visible strains on homelessness accommodation, the new Government has taken an encouraging first step. However, meaningful progress will require innovative financing models that blend public funding with private investment to meet housebuilding targets. Similarly, achieving climate goals in housing demands collaborative efforts and a strengthened role for local authorities in the delivery of sustainable housing.
Civic Voice Executive Director Ian Harvey commented:
“Our members have long advocated that new housing must be matched with critical infrastructure like public transport, schools, and green spaces to create sustainable and thriving communities. As we look to a future with 1.5 million more homes, Civic Voice will continue to champion meaningful reforms to ensure that local authorities have the resources, skills and time to build the community support they need. Our focus remains on achieving true affordability and resilience, not only in housing but in the infrastructure that supports it.”
We await the upcoming Spring spending review with great interest.