The UK Government’s proposed disability and health-related benefits system reforms could significantly reshape support for vulnerable people. Propertymark responded to the Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry on these plans and welcomed many proposals. We made it clear, however, that housing must be central to any efforts to ‘Get Britain Working’.

Propertymark urges the UK Government to make access to housing a central part of its welfare system reform. Without suitable affordable housing options, it will be much harder to address other barriers to work, such as improving physical and mental health or engagement with education and training. Proposals in the Pathways to Work Green Paper will overhaul the existing system and introduce new initiatives, including unemployment insurance, to create sustainable health and disability benefits and employment support.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her Spring Statement, outlining the UK Government’s plans for housing, planning, and welfare benefits as part of its broader economic strategy. The Statement was framed as a continuation of the government's existing strategy rather than a full Budget, with no major tax changes and only a limited number of new policies aimed at correcting a gap in public finances.

The Universal Credit Fair Repayment Rate will drop from 25% to 15%, reducing the amount available to service an individual’s monthly debts, including housing payments. Furthermore, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to overhaul the system of the automatic deduction of arrears and ongoing rent payments directly from tenants' Universal Credit or other benefits, following a court ruling which deemed the practice unlawful.

Prominent figures from the property sector gathered in London on 22 January 2025 to deliberate on the future of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) in light of the forthcoming Renters' Rights Bill. The event, hosted by Goodlord, featured a panel including Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, and Lord Best OBE, a cross-bench peer with a special interest in housing issues. The discussion encompassed a wide range of issues, including the progression of the Bill, ongoing supply and demand challenges, and the necessity for a coherent strategy for the sector.

Propertymark has joined organisations representing tenants, landlords, and other housing providers to call for the UK Government to secure Local Housing Allowance to the 30th percentile of rents and carry out a thorough assessment of the case for raising it to the 50th percentile.

Includes recommendations on how those dependent on welfare support can have better access to the Private Rented Sector (PRS), and how letting agents and landlords can be supported to improve access to the PRS for other vulnerable groups.

The Welsh Government is consulting on ways to improve its Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme after its 2022-23 report revealed relatively low take-up from households that would potentially be entitled to support. The proposals include linking Universal Credit and the CTR scheme to allow proactive identification of eligible residents.

After campaigning over several years, Propertymark welcomes the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee’s recommendations of an annual uprate of working-age benefits and Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

Around 1.6 million private renters are set to receive an uplift to their housing support for 12 months from April 2024, as the UK Government lays legislation to raise Local Housing Allowance (LHA). The increase will benefit some of the poorest families on either Universal Credit or Housing Benefits who will gain around £800 a year on average.

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) will at last be unfrozen and Universal Credit (UC) will rise under UK Government tax and spending plans announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, MP, today, 22 November 2023. Rate relief and full expensing for businesses are also included.

The Department for Work and Pensions will recommence the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Universal Credit Engagement Group following Propertymark's continued lobbying.

Propertymark has co-signed a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of the Autumn Budget strongly urging action on static rates of local housing allowance (LHA) and the lack of affordable private rented homes.

With a General Election on the horizon, the UK Government has an opportunity to support landlords, tenants, and property agents with the impact of the cost of living through welfare reform, bring down energy bills by improving the energy efficiency of homes and reducing the tax burden on landlords and investors to tackle the demand the crisis in the private rented sector.

Figures released by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) back up evidence given to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Commons Committee by Propertymark on 28 June 2023. Head of Policy and Campaigns Timothy Douglas warned MPs of vulnerable tenants being priced out of the market.

Timothy Douglas, Propertymark's Head of Policy and Campaigns was invited to give evidence to the Department for Work and Pensions Commons Committee hearing on the current benefit levels in the UK on 28 June 2023. He outlined the impact they are having on the private rented sector.