The Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the draft HRA Asset Management Strategy, the Government's National Plan to End Homelessness, draft recommendations from the homelessness scrutiny review, and Housing Operations Service Performance for Q3 2025/26. The committee also noted the work programme for the remainder of the municipal year.

Consultation on Draft HRA Asset Management Strategy

The committee discussed the draft HRA Asset Management Strategy for 2026/27 to 2030/31. Councillor Wolfe introduced the strategy, highlighting an increased investment from £63m to £97m over the next five years to address investment challenges and ensure homes remain above the Decent Homes Standard. The strategy aims to maintain homes to a good standard, keep residents safe and homes decent, and provide reliable services. Key priorities include building and fire safety, achieving the Decent Homes Standard, tackling damp and mould, and addressing energy efficiency in the worst-performing homes. Resident feedback was sought on the strategy's objectives and priorities, and the consultation plan was presented for review.

National Plan to End Homelessness

The committee reviewed the Government's National Plan to End Homelessness, which aims to make homelessness brief, rare, and non-recurring. Councillor Hannah McHugh, Chair of the Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee, expressed concern that while the plan's aims are welcome, it may not go far enough to match the scale of the crisis. She emphasised the need for long-term funding certainty, a genuine expansion of social housing, clear statutory duties across public services, and sustained support for individuals with complex needs. Councillor Wolfe noted that the private rental sector in Islington is out of kilter, making it difficult to prevent homelessness locally. Councillor Ben Mackmurdie highlighted the astronomical cost of housing in London and suggested exploring the use of empty new builds for temporary accommodation. The committee also discussed the need for lobbying for increased welfare benefits and the potential for direct rent payments to landlords to prevent arrears.

Draft Recommendations following the 12-month strategic review into Homelessness

Councillor Hannah McHugh presented the draft recommendations from the committee's 12-month strategic review into homelessness. The committee concluded that homelessness is a system-made crisis rather than an individual failing, and that preventing homelessness requires a whole-system approach with shared responsibility across public services. Key recommendations included:

• A strengthened statutory duty on all public services (health, criminal justice, adult social care) to actively prevent homelessness.
• Reforming the homelessness framework to eliminate rough sleeping and end homelessness as policy objectives, abolish the priority need framework, and end local connection requirements for people sleeping rough.
• Increased funding for Islington Council to purchase 200 ex Right to Buy homes annually to address the housing emergency and reduce reliance on temporary accommodation.
• Urgent uprating of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates to reflect local market rents.
• Treating housing as a human right in national legislation and policy.
• A continued shift towards rapid rehousing and reduced reliance on temporary accommodation.
• Further development of Housing First services to reach more vulnerable people.
• A strengthened, multi-agency approach to preventing and responding to cuckooing, recognising it as a safeguarding issue.
• Developing gender-specific, trauma-informed accommodation and support for women, including exploring a dedicated women's supported accommodation building.
• Providing early advice, advocacy, and support to migrants and refugees at risk of homelessness, and reviewing the impact of No Recourse to Public Funds conditions.
• Sustained investment in adult social care, mental health services, and housing support to prevent crises.
• Further investment in social connection and recovery-focused support to help people rebuild relationships and a sense of belonging.
• Developing resident-led measures of success focusing on tenancy sustainment, safety, and wellbeing.
• Embedding the voice of people with lived experience throughout service redesign and policy change.
• Securing long-term investment for specialist homelessness and rough-sleeping roles to ensure workforce stability and expertise.
• Campaigning for homelessness and supported accommodation services to fall under the responsibility of the Regulator of Social Housing.
• Considering reforms similar to Scotland's approach to domestic abuse, specifically regarding the eviction of perpetrators rather than victims from social housing.
• Strengthening the empowerment agenda of the Homelessness Forum to ensure transparency and shared accountability.
• Working with central Government to explore new and innovative approaches to fully eliminate rough sleeping and end homelessness, building on the National Plan to End Homelessness.

The committee invited further suggestions for improvement before the final report is presented on 17 March 2026.

Housing Operations Service Performance Monitoring Q3 2025/26

The committee received an update on the Housing Operations Service performance for Quarter 3 of 2025/26. Key points included:

• Homelessness: Indicators showed significant challenges, particularly the rising number of households in temporary accommodation. While national figures for households owed a prevention or relief duty have fallen, Islington saw an increase in Q3 compared to the previous quarter, though still below Q2 last year. The number of households in temporary accommodation (TA) continued to rise, with Islington's rate per 1,000 households remaining below the London average. The number of children in TA also increased.
• Antisocial Behaviour and Estate Services: These areas showed strong performance, with several KPIs indicating improvement compared to the previous year.
• Income and Rent Arrears: Performance remained largely stable, with an increase in rent arrears for both LBI and PFI stock. The report noted that the increase in cost of living and fuel bills presents a significant challenge for reducing arrears.
• NRPF and Migrant Services: Caseloads and pressures were broadly stable, with some signs of improvement in resolution rates and projected spend.
• Housing Fraud: Properties recovered increased, but the cost to the public purse also rose.

The report highlighted ongoing risks, including demand pressures across homelessness services, the continued growth in temporary accommodation use, and rising rent arrears.

Work Programme 2025/2026

The committee noted the work programme for the remainder of the municipal year, with the final report on the homelessness scrutiny review scheduled for the next meeting on 17 March 2026. Potential topics for future scrutiny were also discussed, including the Private Rented Sector, Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, New Generation Schemes, and Lifts.