Earlier this month, the Government updated Chapter 7 of its Capital Funding Guide which sets out the rules and requirements for grant funded schemes (as well as occasional nil grant schemes) which grant recipients must follow.
Chapter 7: Grant Recovery – Registered Provider specifically sets out the grant recovery and recycling requirements for all Registered Providers and includes Homes England’s Recovery of Capital Grants and Recycled Capital Grant Funds General Determination 2017.
Homes England is the non-departmental public body that acts as the Government housing agency whose focus includes facilitating social housing delivery. Almost five years have passed since it was formed to replace the Homes and Communities Agency. The Capital Funding Guide has been amended so that it now specifically includes, as a “permitted use” works that are required to ensure compliance with the Fire Safety Act 2021 (FSA) within the list of Recovery of Capital Grants and Recycled Capital Grant Fund permitted uses that appears in Chapter 7, Section 6.
Earlier this year, we wrote about the FSA coming into force and its key provisions. Registered providers still need to obtain the prior approval of Homes England before being able to spend recycled grant to fund fire safety works arising from the FSA. The updated guide advices applicants to request permission to utilise funds for this purpose to contact the Historical Grants Team at grant_notifications@homesengland.gov.uk.
The development represents a very clear step in the right direction and comes at a time when the sector is grappling with how best to fund necessary fire safety work and show robust support for its residents.
For more information, please contact Matthew Waters, Andrew Cowan, Mark London, or Matthew Cocklin.
