Changes to social housing controls set to tackle homelessness in Portsmouth

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner MP has unveiled plans to strengthen public control of social housing, detailing new powers to strengthen the ability of local authorities to tackle local homelessness and temporary accommodation pressures, as well as supporting the new national effort to end rough sleeping spearheaded by the Prime Minister. 

The changes are set to maximise local authorities’ opportunities to buy up social rented homes that are being sold by private registered providers, require public services to work together to prevent homelessness, and ensure homeless households are referred to housing associations and other providers to be housed. 

The measures set out in Rayner’s speech at the 2026 Labour Party Conference in Liverpool will be legislated for as amendments to the Social Housing Bill, which is currently in the Commons, and will include: 

•  A new requirement to notify – reducing much-needed social homes from leaving the sector by requiring housing associations and other providers to notify the local authority when they are selling a social home, while also doubling the time for this before a home is sold to maximise opportunities for local authorities, or other social housing providers, to buy the home. 

•  A new duty to collaborate – compelling public services to work together to prevent homelessness and support those who are at crisis point, mandating early identification of those at risk of or experiencing homelessness, ensuring they are referred into the right support. Learning from Scotland and Wales, where such a duty is already in place, the government says this will ensure people get the right support they need and support the new national effort to end rough sleeping. 

•  A new power of referral – a power for local authorities to refer a homeless household to housing associations and other providers to be housed unless the private provider has a good reason not to do so. This measure will help tackle the number of families in temporary accommodation, which is at a record high – almost 180,000 children are currently living in temporary accommodation. 

There are many examples of strong partnership between local authorities and housing associations, and the government aims to build on the vital role these partners play with these new powers.  

The changes will ensure social housing landlords work even more closely with local authorities in allocating housing to those most in need.   

Mr Morgan, the MP for Portsmouth South, said: “Through these measures, Labour is building on examples of strong partnership with housing associations to ensure that social housing landlords allocate housing to those most in need in Portsmouth.   

“Everyone in our city deserves to live in a decent, safe, secure and affordable home. Yet far too many local families have spoken with me about languishing on waiting lists or being trapped in temporary accommodation. 

“Greater public control of social housing is crucial to prevent families from being left without a secure home. That is why I support this Government’s steadfast commitment to increasing social housing available across the UK.” 

Speaking ahead of her speech, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner MP said: “As we turn the tide on the Tory housing crisis we inherited, a new requirement to notify, a new duty to collaborate, and a new power of referral will help tackle homelessness numbers and temporary accommodation pressures, as well as supporting the new national effort to end rough sleeping spearheaded by the Prime Minister.”