Carol Nolan criticises National Housing Plan amid rising homelessness
Carol Nolan criticised the National Housing Plan, saying its measures are inadequate to address record homelessness and threaten small property owners. She called the plan's proposed funding derisory and urged a review of forthcoming housing laws.
Carol Nolan said the plan is being described by government as unprecedented in investment but warned it arrives while homeless figures have hit record highs of 16,350. She told the minister the situation has become increasingly desperate across all metrics despite previous plans to tackle systemic barriers.
She highlighted that within the total homeless figure there are an estimated 5,145 children now living in emergency accommodation. Nolan said the plan reportedly places an emphasis on ending child and family homelessness but questioned whether the proposed actions match the scale of the problem.
Nolan criticised the allocation of £100 million in 2026 to house families on the longest lists as derisory. She argued that £100 million would only deliver about 400 houses at an average price of £250,000 each, and said the sum is far short of what is required to address the crisis.
She raised strong concerns about new housing laws due in March, reporting that many small property owners have told her they are leaving the market. Nolan warned that those guidelines are too extreme, need quick review, and that without balance and protections for small property owners there could be a mass exodus that would increase pressure on the housing system.
Concerns over National Housing Plan
Carol Nolan said the plan is being described by government as unprecedented in investment but warned it arrives while homeless figures have hit record highs of 16,350. She told the minister the situation has become increasingly desperate across all metrics despite previous plans to tackle systemic barriers.
Child and family homelessness figures
She highlighted that within the total homeless figure there are an estimated 5,145 children now living in emergency accommodation. Nolan said the plan reportedly places an emphasis on ending child and family homelessness but questioned whether the proposed actions match the scale of the problem.
Funding critique
Nolan criticised the allocation of £100 million in 2026 to house families on the longest lists as derisory. She argued that £100 million would only deliver about 400 houses at an average price of £250,000 each, and said the sum is far short of what is required to address the crisis.
New housing laws and impact on small landlords
She raised strong concerns about new housing laws due in March, reporting that many small property owners have told her they are leaving the market. Nolan warned that those guidelines are too extreme, need quick review, and that without balance and protections for small property owners there could be a mass exodus that would increase pressure on the housing system.
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Transcript
I would like to start by saying, Minister, I am deeply concerned by certain proposals contained within the National Housing Plan and although it is being described by government as unprecedented in terms of investment, it comes at a time when the homeless figures have hit record highs of 16,350. Within that number, there is a total of 5,145 children who are estimated to be now living in emergency accommodation. The fact is that we have been here before on a number of occasions with plans to finally tackle the systemic barriers to homelessness and the lack of social and affordable housing, but nothing has changed. If anything, the situation has become increasingly desperate across all metrics. From what I can see, Minister, what you are saying is that the National Housing Plan is expected to place an emphasis on ending child and family homelessness, including the allocation of £100 million in 2026 to house families who are on the list of longest. That is a derisory figure in the grand scheme of things. £100 million may sound like a lot, but in reality it would only get you 400 houses at an average price of £250,000. I am also extremely concerned about the new housing laws coming in in March. I have been contacted by many small property owners who tell me they are leaving the housing market. That is going to put more pressure on. I am asking for those housing guidelines which are too extreme, we need to have a balance, we need to protect the small property owners. Those guidelines that are coming in in March need to be reviewed quickly or we are going to have a mass exodus of small property owners.