Housing policy in the UK: the importance of spatial nuance

Abstract

The UK has been engaged in an ongoing process of constitutional reform since the late 1990s, when devolved administrations were established in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.As devolution has evolved there has been a greater trend towards divergence in housing policy, which calls into question any notion of a 'UK experience'. Whilst the 2014 Scottish independence referendum again returned constitutional reform high onto the political agenda, there still remain tensions between devolved governments and the UK government in Westminster, with England increasingly becoming the outlier in policy terms. Informed by ideas of social constructionism, which emphasises the politics of housing, this paper draws on an analysis of policy narratives to highlight the need for greater geographical sensitivity.This requires not only more spatial nuance, but also a recognition that these differences are underpinned by divergent political narratives in different parts of the UK. This emphasis on the politics underpinning policy has relevance internationally in other geographical contexts.

The convergence, divergence and changing geography of regulation in the UK's private rented sector

“…In addition, housing benefit rates are calculated across broad rental market areas that in some areas cover locations with varying and diverse rental costs, sometimes producing rates that are artificially high or low in towns or cities located in areas with diverse markets, and limiting the ability of local authorities to manage their local PRS (Blackpool Borough Council, 2013). This echoes issues raised by McKee et al (2017), who argued that welfare reform agendas in the UK have created tensions amongst the devolved settlements of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in their housing policy-making, as welfare policy is not a devolved issue.…”

“…In addition, there has been an increased appetite for devolution in England, centring on local and regional tiers of governance as appropriate scales of intervention (Carr, Airey, & Thomson, 2015). This has led to greater divergence in policymaking, questioning the notion of a singular 'UK experience' of housing policy and highlighting the need for greater geographical sensitivity in policy analysis (McKee, Muir, & Moore, 2017). Using examples of tenancy management, landlord regulation and affordability, this policy review seeks to highlight the emerging convergence and divergence in the way the PRS is managed in different areas of the UK, and to contribute to broader debates as to the likely effects of changes in PRS tenancy regulation (Huisman, 2016).…”

Embedding financialization: a policy review of the EnglishAffordable Homes Programme

“…his has relevance beyond the English housing system to the devolved administrations with the UK (McKee et al, 2017) and other jurisdictions. In the process, this review seeks to address the call made by Madden & Marcuse (2016, p. 144) to move the debate about housing policy 'beyond the shallow idea that the housing question comes down to determining the right balance between state and market' .…”

The Immigration Act and the ‘Right to Rent’: exploring governing tensions within and beyond the state (Policy Commentary)

“…Secondly, it affects an area of legislation (housing), which is devolved to the Scottish Parliament under the 1998 Scotland Act. This legislation devolved a range of major public policy areas, including housing, from the UK to the Scottish Government (for more detailed discussion see McKee et al, 2016). Thirdly, it exposes a significant policy gap in attitudes towards immigration across the different constituent parts of the UK.…”