Social Housing Rents
Affordable Housing Regulation and Investment Division
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Consultation on future social housing rent policy
- From:
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Published
- 30 October 2024
- Last updated
- 28 January 2026 — See all updates
Applies to England
This consultation has concluded
Detail of outcome
See How to implement Social Rent convergence for the outcome to both this consultation and the consultation on how to implement Social Rent convergence.
Original consultation
Summary
We are seeking views on a new Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing in relation to social housing rent policy from 1 April 2026.
This consultation closesran atfrom
to
Consultation description
We are seeking views on a draft Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing. The Direction would require the Regulator to set a regulatory standard on rents that will apply to Registered Providers of social housing.
This encompasses:
- Private Registered Providers (including housing associations that are Private Registered Providers)
- Local authority Registered Providers (such as 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
Annex A: Draft rent direction
PDF, 88.3 KB, 3 pages
Annex B: Draft policy statement on rents for social housing
PDF, 409 KB, 36 pages
Ways to respond
or
Email to:
socialhousingrents@communities.gov.uk
Write to:
Share this page
The following links open in a new tab
Updates to this page
Published 30 October 2024
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.
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-01-28 17:15
Outcome of the consultations on future social housing rent policy and Social Rent convergence published.
2024-10-30 13:55
First published.
This consultation has concluded
Detail of outcome
See How to implement Social Rent convergence for the outcome to both this consultation and the consultation on how to implement Social Rent convergence.
Original consultation
Summary
We are seeking views on a new Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing in relation to social housing rent policy from 1 April 2026.
This consultation closesran atfrom
to
Consultation description
We are seeking views on a draft Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing. The Direction would require the Regulator to set a regulatory standard on rents that will apply to Registered Providers of social housing.
This encompasses:
- Private Registered Providers (including housing associations that are Private Registered Providers)
- Local authority Registered Providers (such as 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
Annex A: Draft rent direction
PDF, 88.3 KB, 3 pages
Annex B: Draft policy statement on rents for social housing
PDF, 409 KB, 36 pages
Consultation description
We are seeking views on a draft Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing. The Direction would require the Regulator to set a regulatory standard on rents that will apply to Registered Providers of social housing.
This encompasses:
- Private Registered Providers (including housing associations that are Private Registered Providers)
- Local authority Registered Providers (such as 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
Annex A: Draft rent direction
PDF, 88.3 KB, 3 pages
Annex B: Draft policy statement on rents for social housing
PDF, 409 KB, 36 pages
Ways to respond
or
Email to:
socialhousingrents@communities.gov.uk
Write to:
Share this page
The following links open in a new tab
Updates to this page
Published 30 October 2024
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.
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-01-28 17:15
Outcome of the consultations on future social housing rent policy and Social Rent convergence published.
2024-10-30 13:55
First published.