Memorandum from the Welsh Assembly Government
(BDH 58)
— The Decent Homes Standard does not apply
to housing in Wales.
— Welsh Housing Quality Standard introduced
in Wales in May 2002.
— Standards in private sector homes in
Wales are governed by the Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
— Welsh Housing Quality Standard provides
a common target standard for the physical condition of all existing
social housing within Wales to be achieved by 2012.
— Energy efficiency target, of SAP65*,
within WHQS is an important component in tackling fuel poverty
within the social housing sector.
— Welsh Assembly Government is working
with social landlords to see how sustainability might be better
reflected in stock improvement programmes and is currently undertaking
two pilot schemes which will be used as a Best Practice Example.
— A review is currently being undertaken
of the Housing Revenue Account regime in Wales.
In Wales we have the Welsh Housing Quality Standard
(WHQS), although this does not apply to private sector homes.
Standards in this type of property (including those occupied by
vulnerable people) are governed by the Housing, Health and Safety
Rating System (HHSRS), which applies to all housing irrespective
of tenure.
Adequate arrangements are in place in Wales
for the future regulation of minimum acceptable housing standards
and these are contained within the Housing, Health and Safety
Rating System, which was introduced in Wales by the Assembly Government
in June 2006.
The Regulatory Framework for RSLs in Wales is
currently being reviewed and strengthened and this will ensure
that the quality of homes in Wales is assessed.
THE WELSH
HOUSING QUALITY
STANDARD (WHQS)
In Wales the introduction of the WHQS in May
2002 provides a common target standard for the physical condition
of all existing social housing within Wales to be achieved by
2012, although some local authorities have agreed business plans
with extended compliance timetables beyond 2012.
The main elements of the WHQS require that homes
are:
— In a good state of repair;
— Adequately heated, fuel efficient and
well insulated;
— Contain up-to-date kitchens and bathrooms;
— Located in attractive and safe environments;
and
— As far as possible suit the specific
requirements of the household—eg those with specific disabilities.
The Assembly Government is successfully encouraging
local authorities to use the opportunity of long term investment
streams to stimulate the economic regeneration of communities,
such as training and employment programmes aimed at providing
the economically inactive amongst local communities with real
skills and employment prospects. Investment programmes aimed at
achieving WHQS will significantly improve the energy efficiency
of the existing social stock and, as a result, reduce tenants'
heating bills as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
The energy efficiency target, of SAP65,[84]
within WHQS is an important component in tackling fuel poverty
within the social housing sector, and is challenging in relation
to the difficulties faced in improving the older existing stock.
The Assembly Government is working with social
landlords to see how sustainability might be better reflected
in stock improvement programmes and is currently undertaking two
pilot schemes which will be used as a Best Practice Example and
to inform future standards. This will:
— provide a base line indicator on sustainability,
using environmental performance tool—EcoHomes XB.
— assess the sustainability standards it
is possible to achieve for refurbishment of housing in Wales in
relation to WHQS.
ARBED
The recently announced "Arbed[85]"
Programme (Strategic Energy Performance Investment Programme)
has been set up to co-ordinate and strategically spend the money
leveraged in to Wales for domestic energy efficiency. In total,
it is estimated that over the next three years, up to £350 million
will be invested in the energy performance of Welsh homes, coordinated
through Arbed.
Improving the energy performance (energy efficiency
and renewable energy) of buildings significantly reduces greenhouse
gas emissions whilst enhancing the resilience of businesses/organisations
to the rising costs of energy. In homes, energy performance is
the single most important instrument in the drive to eradicate
fuel poverty. As such, the environmental, social and economic
benefits of energy performance make it a primary deliverer of
sustainable economic growth and regeneration.
Domestic energy efficiency is a primary driver
of the Green Jobs Strategy given its high labour intensity (HM
Treasury labour coefficients estimate that, at 2009 prices,
16-32 person years of employment are generated per every
£1 million spent in housing retrofit initiatives—the
range is due to the different technologies/measures available
for domestic energy efficiency, some of which are more labour-intensive
than others).
Domestic energy efficiency is a major job creation
sector which was recommended by the CBI/TUC in their joint paper
to the first economic summit in Wales, and has also been identified
as a priority by Lord Stern in his "Towards a Green Economic
Recovery" report and by the EU in its European Economic Recovery
Plan. Following the example of WHQS, we are putting significant
efforts into ensuring that investment in domestic energy efficiency
in Wales is supported by supply-side measures to ensure that local
employment and business benefits are secured.
REVIEWING HRAS
A review of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA)
is being taken forward in Wales which will assess the current
HRA regime and provide a review of options for reforming HRAS.
The Housing Revenue Account/Housing Revenue Account Subsidy (HRAS)
Review will compare the HRAS regime in Wales with the Housing
Finance arrangements in England and Scotland and will take account
of the implications of the Review of the Council Housing Finance
in England. This work is being carried out in the context of WHQS
and a continuing programme of stock transfers in Wales.
84 WHQS provides for the annual energy consumption
for space and water heating to be estimated using the SAP (Standard
Assessment Procedure) method and specifies a minimum SAP rating
of 65 out of a possible 100 to be achieved. A SAP rating
of 65 is equivalent to an Energy Performance Certificate
rating of D Back
85
Arbed is the Welsh word for save Back
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