The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced an additional £47m funding commitment to the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund, aimed at facilitating the construction of 28,000 nutrient neutrality stalled homes across England. Seven areas will receive a share of £45m to unblock stalled housing and deliver improvements to the natural environment. Twenty of the largest sites most impacted by nutrient neutrality will each receive £100,000 to support planning teams in implementing pollution solutions across their respective local areas.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a £61 million Community Right to Buy Fund, with Communities Secretary, Steve Reed, introducing the measure as part of a wider £301 million package to support high streets, strengthen community control and increase local decision-making powers. The fund will help people in deprived areas acquire and preserve community assets at risk of closure, including pubs, shops and community centres, building on reforms in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. The announcement forms part of the government’s £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme and is accompanied by reforms to help social housing tenants take greater control of their homes, a £10 million Test, Learn and Grow Capability Fund to support locally led public service improvements, and £15 million for Community Power Pilots in up to 25 areas. The government also committed to tackling profiteering in temporary accommodation and children’s social care and to improving public service delivery through standardised data-sharing agreements across the public sector.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a £68m funding commitment to unlock disused brownfield sites. This funding will be allocated to 54 councils, enabling them to transform neglected land into new homes. It forms part of the government’s plans to boost the economy and create jobs. Through the Brownfield Land Release Fund, councils will be able to cover the cost of decontamination, clearing disused buildings, and improving infrastructure such as internet, water, and power. As a result, land will be released to enable the construction of 5,200 homes across the country

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a £78bn funding settlement for English councils for 2026-27, marking the first multi-year settlement in over a decade. The three-year settlement increases councils' core spending power by 23% compared to 2024-25 and introduces an evidence-based funding system directing resources to areas with greatest need. Council tax rises are capped at 3% annually with an additional 2% permitted for adult social care, while six historically low-billing councils receive temporary flexibility. The package includes £4.6bn extra for adult social care by 2028-29 and £2.4bn for children's social care transformation, alongside a consultation on the provisional 2026-27 settlement closing 14 January 2026.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has appointed Paul Najsarek as Lead Inspector, with Margaret Lee and Parveen Akhtar as Assistant Inspectors, to carry out a Best Value Inspection of Bedford Borough Council under section 10 of the Local Government Act 1999. The Secretary of State decided to proceed due to concerns about the Council’s compliance with its Best Value Duty. These concerns were informed by a July 2025 review by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, which identified weaknesses in governance and financial management, including a projected overspend and a medium-term budget gap. They also reflected findings from the Local Government Association’s Corporate Peer Challenge on limited strategic clarity and leadership, an Ofsted inspection that downgraded Children’s Social Care to ‘Requires Improvement’, and the external auditor’s update in November 2025. The inspection will examine governance and scrutiny, the section 151 function and audit, organisational capacity and capability, service delivery, organisational culture, the adequacy of improvement plans, and the Council’s ability to address previous recommendations. The Inspector must report by June 2026 and the Council must provide access to information and pay the Inspectors’ reasonable fees and expenses.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced the appointment of Thouria Istephan as interim Chief Construction Adviser for a 12-month term. Istephan was appointed through a direct ministerial process in line with Cabinet Office guidance. In this role, she will provide independent expert advice to ministers and the government on building safety and regulatory reform. The appointment delivers on the government’s response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 recommendations and is intended to guide reform and regulatory design while the position is permanently established next year.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has approved Thurrock Council’s request to initiate the recruitment of a permanent Chief Executive, as confirmed by the Minister of State for Local Government and Homelessness, Alison McGovern MP, in her published response to the Thurrock Commissioners’ sixth report. The Minister acknowledged the Commissioners’ assessment that the Council has made continued progress, citing improvements in financial management, transparency, external scrutiny and public engagement, alongside a smooth transition to new leadership and ongoing steps to reduce its significant and exceptional unsupported debt, for which the government remains committed to providing repayment support. She also highlighted risks to sustained improvement arising from organisational capacity pressures linked to the Council’s transformation programme and wider local government reorganisation and devolution, and emphasised the need to maintain focus and pace. Approval for the Chief Executive recruitment is conditional on the appointment of a suitably experienced candidate and on continued Commissioner support and oversight, with the Minister indicating that the current Commissioner model will be reviewed following any appointment to ensure an orderly transition and sufficient capacity to maintain the Council’s improvement trajectory and provide assurance to government .

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced that 133 local authorities have been awarded a share of £9.31m to support the costs of conducting Green Belt reviews. This follows MHCLG's December 2024 call for eligible local authorities to submit expression of interest forms by 17 January 2025.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has awarded £18.7m in funding to support local authorities at the Regulation 18 and 19 stages of the local plan making process. Two local authorities at the Regulation 19 stage have been awarded a share of £500,000, while 80 local authorities at the Regulation 18 stage have been awarded a share of £18.237m. This follows MHCLG’s call in January 2025 and February 2025 for eligible local authorities at the respective stages to submit expressions of interest.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has issued an updated notice clarifying its position following the First-tier Tribunal’s decision on 3 July 2024, in Smoke House & Curing House, 18 Remus Road, London E3 2NF: LON/00BG/HYI/2023/0024. MHCLG acknowledges the need for legislative clarity and is consulting the Building Safety Regulator and other stakeholders on a proposal to amend the Higher-Risk Buildings (Descriptions and Supplementary Provisions) Regulations 2023, SI 2023/275, to confirm that roof gardens should not be classified as a storey when determining whether a building is a higher-risk building under section 120D of the Building Act 1984 (BA 1984) and section 65 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022). In the interim, MHCLG maintains that roof gardens are not considered storeys for these purposes, and advises the sector and regulatory bodies to continue following current guidance.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has published a clarification on its media blog regarding air conditioning unit installations. According to the clarification, air conditioning units are not banned and may be installed in both existing and new homes. In most cases, planning permission is not required for small homes if the installation does not materially affect the building's external appearance. However, MHCLG cautions that no blanket rule applies and recommends that individuals consult their local councils. Existing building regulations require that new residential buildings—including houses, flats, student accommodation, residential care homes and children's homes—be designed to minimise overheating. MHCLG has indicated that it is reviewing these building regulations.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has commissioned an independent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics, led by former Department for Exiting the European Union Permanent Secretary Philip Rycroft. The review will assess the effectiveness of UK political finance laws and safeguards against illicit money from abroad, including cryptocurrencies, and examine rules governing political party constitution and regulation alongside the Electoral Commission's enforcement powers. Rycroft will report to the Housing Secretary and Security Minister by the end of March 2026. The review responds to the conviction of former MEP Nathan Gill, who received a 10-and-a-half year prison sentence for accepting bribes to promote pro-Russian narratives, and builds on reforms announced in the Elections Strategy published in July. The findings will inform a forthcoming elections and democracy bill intended to deliver legislative changes to UK democracy during the current Parliament.