Local Authority round-up – Spring Statement 2025
31st March, 2025
Our Local Authority round up provides brief summaries of topical information on a weekly basis, to keep you aware of the changes and updates relevant to you.
Housing
An additional £2 billion is to be invested by the Government into the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) in 2026-27 to deliver 18,000 homes.
This forms part of the Government’s plan to tackle the housing crisis and provide stability and security for families.
The Local Government Association (LGA) supports the additional funding, stating that it will provide certainty and stability to councils and ensure momentum is maintained.
The Spring Statement also confirmed the Building Safety Levy, which will be incurred by new residential developments in England from 1 October 2026. The levy is intended to raise revenue to spend on building safety and rectification works.
Health and Social Care
The Government announced its intention to abolish NHS England and return its functions to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), in order to reduce inefficiencies and bureaucracy.
This transition will begin immediately with the aim to complete the integration within two years.
NHS England has 15,300 employees, and the DHSC has 3,300. The Government is seeking to reduce the overall headcount across both institutions by 50%.
Education
The Government has committed to investing £625 million in England over four years to train 60,000 more skilled construction workers. This includes the establishment of ten additional technical excellence colleges across England.
The latest Office for National Statistics figures show that there are over 35,000 job vacancies in the construction sector, with employers reporting that such a shortage is due to a lack of required skills.
It is hoped that the additional funding will ensure a sustainable flow of skilled construction workers and help businesses invest more in training. Expanding the skilled workforce will assist in driving economic growth, and ensuring vital infrastructure is completed.
To access the Spring Statement please click here.
Upcoming events
Healthcare Employment Law Update
As specialists in healthcare employment law, we will be delivering, on the 8th April at 10am, an employment law update covering recent issues facing employers in the healthcare sector.
We will look in particular at the case of Higgs v Farmor’s School, which dealt with discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief.
To book your place please click here.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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