Feed aggregator

The British runner Russ Cook completed the 16,300km challenge on 7 April

Recently released figures from the Charity Commission also showed a 47 per cent increase in the number of regulatory compliance cases opened on the previous quarter

In the latest episode of The End of Charity, Janey Starling said the sector had become increasingly defanged over the past decade

The average number of staff working in Civil Service headquarter buildings (weekly and monthly).

New research from Goodlord has found that rents have climbed by over 6% compared to year-on-year figures.

Although change is something we’re all objectively weary of, an exception to this would be the continuing increases of rents across England. Unfortunately, new data from Goodlord, an award-winning lettings platform, demonstrates that individuals will be bearing the brunt of high rents for a little while longer. 

The firm’s latest rental index highlighted that rents are now 28% higher than in March 2020 – just before the country was put into lockdown as a result of Covid-19. During this period, the average rent for a property in England was £909, but by the end of March 2024 this figure has jumped to £1,160.

According to the findings, which were published towards the end of last week, rent rises particularly accelerated in 2022, with a 10% year-on-year rise. Though, the data does show that the pace of increases has since slowed, but warns rents continue to rise.

Data from Goodlord showing how much rents have increased in England.

William Reeve, Goodlord’s chief executive, said: ‘March was another strong performing month for the rental market, with rents and voids holding steady.

‘However, the truly eye-opening data can be found in the year-on-year figures, which show just how rapidly rents across England have shifted since 2020.

‘In this post-pandemic era, rent rises have consistently outstripped inflation; evidence of the needs of the growing tenant population colliding directly with a lack of stock and a complicated combination of pressures facing landlords.’

Goodlord has claimed that while February experienced a higher-than-expected climb in rents, there was a brief respite last month – the average rent remained nearly unchanged at £1,160 compared to February’s £1,162.

Certain areas in England also experienced worse rent increases than others. In Greater London some rents hit £1,954 last month, whereas in the North East some landlords were only charging £851.

In addition to showcasing the increasing rental costs, the data also found that voids were unchanged month-on-month, with the number of days a property is vacant in between tenancies holding at 18 days, mirroring the trend seen in March 2023.

Image: Mika Baumeister

More on this topic:

Scottish housing bill could create new rent control areas

Ramped up rural house prices are forcing locals into renting

But the government is ‘absolutely’ committed to BYC’s UK Youth Parliament programme, the charities minister says

Some employees believe that they and their colleagues ‘inherently know what is right and moral and therefore ethics management is not necessary’, academics conclude

The funds had been held in personal accounts belonging to Barry Marcus, unbeknownst to the charities they came from, the NCA found

Sex Matters’ registration was assessed ‘carefully against the charity law framework’, the regulator says

The purpose, membership and terms of reference for the Debt and Fraud Information Sharing Review Board.

The John Muir Trust says it had to make the ‘incredibly difficult decision’ to put 19 jobs at risk

Lucy Frazer met officials to discuss adopting a US-style approach to philanthropy, reports say

The total is 8.5 per cent up on the previous year, analysis by the Charity Commission shows

Duncan Shrubsole will join the St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity in June

Further redundancies are being considered by the charity’s executives, sources say

The average number of staff working in Civil Service headquarter buildings (weekly and monthly).

Guidance for members of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel (OPC) who are drafting bills to be considered in Parliament.

If it wasn’t already known to be ‘Good Friday’ it would be now, as last week the Department for Levelling Up finally published guidance for the second staircase rule.

The changes to the government’s building guidance covering fire safety, otherwise known as Approved Document B, make it crystal clear that a second staircase is required in a tall block of flats that reach 18 metres or taller.

It also confirmed the end date of the transition period for the rules as 30th September 2026 and revealed that evacuation lifts will not be a requirement.

The new guidelines follow Michael Gove’s announcement last year that the government will impose a requirement for second staircases on all new buildings that are 18 metres or taller. Initially, the requirement was set at 30 metres when the consultation on the policy was launched.

In addition, the guidance specified that interlocked stairs ‘do not constitute an alternative means of escape’ and should always be considered as a single escape route.

Through introducing these new requirements, the government have separated provisions for horizontal escape and vertical escape.

According to the Approved Document B amendments: ‘Where evacuation lifts are provided, these should be located within an evacuation shaft containing a protected stairway, evacuation lift and evacuation lift lobby. 

‘An evacuation lift lobby should provide a refuge area for those waiting for the evacuation lift, have direct access to a protected stairway and not be directly accessible from any flat, maisonette, storage room or electrical equipment room.’

Housing minister, Lee Rowley, said: ’The change in guidance to include two staircases for buildings over 18 metres provides clarity for developers and ensures both new and existing buildings provide safe and secure homes for all residents.’

Plans to install second staircases in huge residential buildings came after the tragic incident at Grenfell Tower. They help to ensure adequate access for both firefighters and a possible full evacuation of residents in the structures.

Image: Junar Eliang

More on this topic:

34,000 new homes delayed in London due to fire safety rules

Grenfell: Insulation company accused of trying to ‘wriggle out of their responsibilities’

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) publishes senior responsible owners' appointment letters for its Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP).

The Charity Commission is understood to be examining more than 100 charities because of concerns about hate speech and extremism