Social Housing Quality Fund

From 26 June, housing providers in the Greater Manchester area will be able to apply to a new £15m Social Housing Quality Fund, aiming to improve housing quality and minimise health hazards in people’s homes.

Successful applicants will receive grant-funding to carry out repairs and renovations in properties affected by issues including damp and mould, with providers expected to match-fund at least 25% of the awarded money. The fund hopes to support works on up to 1,500 properties within the Greater Manchester area and is open to registered providers of housing, including housing associations, local authorities, and arms-length management organizations (ALMOs).

Awarding of the funds will take a risk-based approach with funding decisions considering property type, whether the property is home to vulnerable residents, and the presence of Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) hazards. The fund will support the installation of measures to homes in the priority order set out below:

Band 1	Dealing with Category 1 damp and mould housing health and safety rating (HHSRS) hazards.
Band 2	Dealing with Category 2 damp and mould HHSRS hazards facing vulnerable households.
Band 3	Dealing with other Category 2 damp and mould HHSRS hazards.
Band 4	Dealing with properties where tenants have reported damp and mould issues and surveys have identified remedial action required.
Band 5	Supporting ‘infill’ works to properties of archetypes with vulnerable tenants where issues are known to occur and where evidence demonstrates elevated risks of hazards occurring.
Band 6	Supporting ‘infill’ works to properties of archetypes where issues are known to occur and where evidence demonstrates elevated risks of hazards occurring.

Any application must demonstrate that the work is in addition to already planned maintenance, or that the works would be accelerated with additional grant funding, or both. All funds received by successful applicants must be spent by 31 March 2024.

Applications for the Social Housing Quality Fund will be accepted until 11:45am on Friday 14 July.

An introductory event is scheduled at 11:00-13:00 on Wednesday 28 June for Registered Housing Providers and Local Authorities interested in submitting bids, to provide an overview of the fund’s objectives, the application process and associated assessment criteria. Any interested party can register for the event by emailing SHQF@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk.

Further information about the Fund, and details on how to apply from 26 June, can be found on the dedicated Social Housing Quality Fund webpage on the Greater Manchester Combined Authority website. Alternatively, prospective applicants can contact SHQF@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk directly with any enquiries.