Social Housing Rents
Affordable Housing Regulation and Investment Division
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
How to implement Social Rent convergence
Applies to England
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
This document reports the outcome of the consultations on future social housing rent policy and Social Rent convergence.
Following the outcome of these consultations, a new policy statement on rents for social housing is being published and a new Direction from the Secretary of State is being issued to the Regulator of Social Housing to ensure that its Rent Standard reflects the government’s 10-year rent settlement for social housing. This includes:
- permitting annual rent increases of up to CPI+1% on Social Rent and Affordable Rent homes from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2036
- permitting the application of a Social Rent convergence mechanism, which would allow weekly rents for Social Rent homes that are below formula to be increased by up to additional £1 each year over and above CPI+1% from 1 April 2027, and by up to an additional £2 each year over and above CPI+1% from 1 April 2028, until formula rent is reached
Original consultation
Consultation description
Following the consultation on future social housing rent policy published in 2024, we are seeking views on a draft Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing that includes Social Rent convergence.
The Direction would require the Regulator to set a regulatory standard on rents that will apply to Registered Providers of social housing. This comprises:
- Private Registered Providers (including housing associations that are Private Registered Providers)
- Local authority Registered Providers (i.e. local authorities with retained housing stock)
Section 197 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 gives the Secretary of State the power to direct the Regulator of Social Housing to set a standard on rent, and about the content of that standard. Once issued, a Direction is binding on the Regulator. We propose to use this power to issue a new Direction to the Regulator on rent. The proposed Direction has been published alongside this consultation.
Documents
Ways to respond
or
Email to:
socialhousingrents@communities.gov.uk
Write to:
Updates to this page
Published 2 July 2025
Last updated 28 January 2026
href="#full-history">+ show all updates
-
Outcome of the consultations on future social housing rent policy and Social Rent convergence published.
-
First published.
Update history
2026-03-24 10:34
Added public responses to the consultations on future social housing rent policy and Social Rent convergence.
2026-01-28 17:14
Outcome of the consultations on future social housing rent policy and Social Rent convergence published.
2025-07-02 15:10
First published.