Minor gripe of the day: government publications just being a page on gov.uk rather than a PDF. Is this just me being a luddite (possibly)? I feel like it used to be the norm to have both a PDF and a web version.

Thanks Microsoft, needed that

From us at Independent Age 👇. Improving Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in the PRS could lift older renters out of fuel poverty but scaling back ambitions for homes that need the most work risks leaving others in the cold

Are DESNZ planning to publish the actual Warm Homes Plan today or do we just get a nice press release and some promo? 🫤

Waiting on publication of the Warm Homes Plan which is apparently waiting on “space in the Grid” and I have to say the whole notion of “space in the Grid” seems incredibly quaint right now

Want to make a difference in 2026? Become a campaigner. We helped reverse the Winter Fuel Payment changes and championed the needs of older renters in the Renters' Rights Act and Housing (Scotland) Act. We're making a difference and you can help: www.independentage.org/campaign-wit...

Will someone spare a thought for the parents of children whose special interest is the livery of different TOCs. Not sure how they will occupy themselves when all trains have the same paint job!

Appears there's been no move to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance, which will leave private renters facing another 18 months with rents rising and no extra help to cover the cost.

Expecting lots of disappointment today but this is HUGE and extremely welcome. Thank goodness.

Really pleased to support this campaign - the LHA freeze is driving people into hardship, poor quality housing and homelessness. Important opportunity for the government next week to ensure private renters get the support they need.

This has long been in the making and is a critical challenge for policy makers. One tends to assume those renting are younger, more transient populations. However, as our housing crises continue unabated families & elderly tenants will be the norm. In a volatile PRS that is deeply problematic.

Well said by my colleague Josh!

How is this a comfortable sleeping position?

Oh good grief ANOTHER minister bungling their housing affairs?

Remarkably, given I was led to believe queueing at the bar (WTF) was a Gen-Z phenomenon, there's no significant differences in preference by age...

I've had a trivial personal vendetta against Peter Mandelson since he shut the door of 10 Downing St in my face when I was briefly working there many years ago. Bigger reasons to be glad he's gone, but that's mine.

Nearly 4m renters are struggling to pay their energy bills and 3.5m are living with mould and damp. Great article by @bellribeiroaddy.bsky.social on why renters need protection against rent hikes after retrofit work, to make sure they enjoy their new warmer home ⬇️ labourlist.org/2025/07/comm...

Good grief this is an alarming chart - fewer than 1 in 3 landlords know they legally have to protect tenant deposits, awareness of other legal requirements not much better

Really appreciated the opportunity to speak to the Work & Pensions Select Committee about how Local Housing Allowance rates are impacting older renters

Good to know that when the machines take over, us humans will still be able to confound them by leaving each other voicemails

Such a thought-provoking and inspiring day at #IAConference25 earlier this week

The government plans to upgrade millions of rented homes to EPC C by 2030. But without protections from rent rises, landlords can raise rents and profit from upgrades meant for tenants. Hear our Research & Policy Manager, Parissa Zand, on ElmhurstEnergy’s podcast 👇

Cutting the Warm Homes Plan is a cut to pensioners and people living with a disability, when govt also cuts personal independence payments and winter fuel www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

One elusive word away from Queen Bee - 7 letters beginning with NA - HIVEMIND WHAT IS IT?!

Cold homes disproportionately affect older people. One of this government's lasting legacies could be to insulate homes rented by older rented people. New @independentage.bsky.social report discusses how we can carefully insulate rented homes lived in by older people, take a look shorturl.at/2tmbQ.

Imagine your home being so cold you have to open the windows in winter to let warmer air IN. We desperately need to improve energy efficiency in the PRS. inews.co.uk/news/renting...

Imagine your home being so cold you have to open the windows in winter to let warmer air IN. We desperately need to improve energy efficiency in the PRS. inews.co.uk/news/renting...

Opportunity to be part of four UK nation’s conversations about social security and how it differs depending on where you live. Please share this 🧵 and help us spread the world

Another great job opportunity here for a data geek. Exciting and important work! jobs.theguardian.com/job/9505751/...

If I were more competent in economics I'd be all over this - dream job here for housing wonks:

its amazing how chatgpt knows everything about subjects I know nothing about, but is wrong like 40% of the time in things im an expert on. not going to think about this any further

Meanwhile housing benefit is frozen in cash terms - meaning it's falling in real terms by these levels

Inflation is up by 3%, but private rents are up by 8.7% across the UK and 11%(!!!) in London. Across GB, it means paying ~£100 more per month on average since Jan 24, or ~£200 more per month since Jan 23. In London, £220 more per month since Jan 24, or ~£400(!) more per month since Jan 23.

Labour must seize the moment to show child poverty matters in push for growth www.theguardian.com/business/202... Great summary of the choices and challenges facing Labour, by @guardianheather.bsky.social

No wonder people don’t want to see the Grenfell tower dismantled, when some seem hell-bent on forgetting the consequences of our last bonfire of “red tape”

This is very true but good evaluation can be expensive, complex and impacts can take years to reveal. Also needs humble culture - who wants to find out that the policy you spent years advocating for *just doesn’t work*? Lots of factors conspire against evaluation, it needs championing.

Is what you are doing worthwhile? Is it making you happy? If neither of those things are true, change it now. If only one of those things are true then ask yourself some questions. The sweet spot is getting both.

No Bluesky, No! Please can we just stop with the tiktokification of every single social media platform?

NEW: A coroner has warned the government about the social housing shortage following the death of a man who took his own life after an eviction left him homeless, which left him separated from his family and living in a vehicle By me for Inside Housing (£, 🧵) www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/social-...

I’m going to file this quote alongside this photo of an academic’s office to remind myself that there’s a whole tier of being cerebrally shambolic to which I can only aspire

I’m never going to be the kind of person who counts 30 plants a week but by a rough estimation I have about 20 in this lunch 😇

NEW: Last year we reported 55 homeless children had died while living in temporary accommodation in 4 yrs. We reported that TA deaths were likely much higher because data collection was not routine. Now, new research shows between Oct 23-Sept 24, 80 children died in TA. www.itv.com/news/2024-03...

This is awful.

Sitcom nostalgia segueing into a discussion about renting in retirement? Absolutely catnip for me! (FWIW I always identified as one part Barbara one part Margot)

Fascinating the amount of headspace people give to pondering the results of polls vs. the amount (almost none) most poll respondents give to answering the questions in the first place. "What can we conclude from the five seconds' thought 1000 people gave to this complex policy question?"

I've said it before and I'll say it again: REPORTS NEED DATES. Please please put the year and month published prominently on the front of your reports!

Additional bit of context: social housing waiting lists are almost back at 2013 levels. The fall in between was not down to more social homes being built (there are now fewer) but because coalition 'reforms' allowed councils to cut people off the lists www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Yes yes yes! Bi-OP-ik sounds like an ocular condition, make it stop.

Promising that the minister is open to explore these issues further - both concerns for older private renters

If you do one thing today, please read (and ideally share) this piece on the reality of the cold snap for Gemma @changingrealities.bsky.social & her family www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...