Liberal Democrat MP Will Forster for Inside Housing 28.03.25
After meeting Nick Phillips, CEO of The Almshouse Association, at Westminster, Will Forster felt compelled to highlight the apparent omission of charities from crucial housing discussions in Inside Housing magazine. He writes:
“It is apparent that a collaborative approach is the solution for housing in the UK, and it involves house builders, housing associations, charities and local government working together towards new solutions.
The charity sector, in particular, is one which helps to alleviate the housing crisis and provide homes to those in need. But it is a sector often omitted from these vital conversations.
Almshouses are perhaps the most plentiful, but most overlooked, example of charity housing. This is a surprisingly unknown form of housing which is one of the oldest forms of philanthropy in the UK, dating back well over 1,000 years”.
See below to read the article in full
His support is deeply valued, and Nick Phillips expresses his gratitude to Will for his time and commitment, stating,
” Will Forster represents the many MPs and Peers with whom The Almshouse Association has engaged over the years in an effort to resolve this issue. They remain baffled by the Government’s steadfast opposition to supporting charities that step in where the state cannot. While some justifications have been offered, I do not agree with them—though I understand them—and have put forward what I believe are practical solutions.
A key obstacle is that Local Government Planners rely on the Regulator for due diligence. We have clarified that almshouses are already regulated by the Charity Commission and comply with the Standards of Almshouse Management. Additionally, we have proposed exploring a Code of Practice to reinforce this framework.
We are determined to see this changed—almshouses will be rightfully recognised as charities and deemed eligible for local Government S106 support..”
posted 31 March 2025