Housing Policy Advisory Group 30 September 2013 Strategic Priorities

Budget 2013 – 2016 National Performance Framework Ministerial priorities Priorities - discussion

Housing and Regeneration Context Cut in conventional capital budget from Westminster % in real terms over to Scottish Ministers’ spending decisions Subsidy for new build – up by £16,000 from July 2013 Affordable housing – investment increased - was £970m for 3 years to in itself an increase from the £859m set out in February - now additional £390m allocated for – more than £1.35 billion over 4 years

Welfare Reform Mitigation Scottish Ministers’ spending decisions Maintain £45.2m budget for welfare mitigation in and Add £20m in for Local Authority Discretionary Housing Payments

National Performance Framework

Ministerial priorities Homes fit for the 21 st Century Strategy and Action Plan – Building a sustainable and affordable supply of housing Preventing homelessness Tackling fuel poverty Improving the quality of Scotland’s towns and cities

Ministerial priorities Mitigating the impact of Welfare Reforms Funding to mitigate impacts of under occupancy charge Investing in money and debt advice services UK Government aims to complete the roll out of Universal credit (and direct payments to claimants) by end of 2017

Discussion Are these the right strategic priorities? What are the barriers we all need to address? What are the likely main impacts on the housing sector - and what can we do to help mitigate the worst of those? What are the opportunities for Scotland in the next year? What innovative approaches are out there that we can learn from?