The Levelling Up White Paper: All You Need To Know

By Anna Hughes, Consultant Chartered Legal Executive – Residential Landlord & Tenant, Woodstock Legal Services

The Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove released the government’s Levelling Up White Paper on 2 February 2022. The White Paper represents a long-term plan to transform the UK to spread more equal opportunities to “change the economic geography of the country”.

What is the Government levelling up white paper?

This paper includes 12 national missions which are to be achieved by 2030 and will become part of legislation in a Levelling up and Regeneration Bill. The purpose of the missions is to boost pay and productivity, spread opportunities and improve public services, restore local pride and empower local leaders.

12 national missions

The 12 bold missions are:

1. By 2030, pay, employment and productivity will have risen in every area of the UK, with each containing a globally competitive city, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.

2. By 2030, domestic public investment in Research & Development outside the Greater South East will increase by at least 40% and at least one third over the Spending Review period, with that additional government funding seeking to leverage at least twice as much private sector investment over the long term to stimulate innovation and productivity growth.

3. By 2030, local public transport connectivity across the country will be significantly closer to the standards of London, with improved services, simpler fares and integrated ticketing.

4. By 2030, the UK will have nationwide gigabit-capable broadband and 4G coverage, with 5G coverage for the majority of the population.

5. By 2030, the number of primary school children achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths will have significantly increased. In England, this will mean 90% of children will achieve the expected standard, and the percentage of children meeting the expected standard in the worst performing areas will have increased by over a third.

6. By 2030, the number of people successfully completing high-quality skills training will have significantly increased in every area of the UK. In England, this will lead to 200,000 more people successfully completing high-quality skills training annually, driven by 80,000 more people completing courses in the lowest skilled areas.

7. By 2030, the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed, and by 2035 HLE will rise by 5 years.

8. By 2030, well-being will have improved in every area of the UK, with the gap between top performing and other areas closing.

9. By 2030, pride in place, such as people’s satisfaction with their town centre and engagement in local culture and community, will have risen in every area of the UK, with the gap between the top performing and other areas closing.

10. By 2030, renters will have a secure path to ownership with the number of first-time buyers increasing in all areas; and the government’s ambition is for the number of non-decent rented homes to have fallen by 50%, with the biggest improvements in the lowest performing areas.

11. By 2030, homicide, serious violence, and neighbourhood crime will have fallen, focused on the worst-affected areas.

12. By 2030, every part of England that wants one will have a devolution deal with powers at or approaching the highest level of devolution and a simplified, long-term funding settlement.

How does the White Paper impact the private rented sector?

As part of the policy the government will announce a plan that all homes in the Private Rented Sector will have to meet a minimum standard – the Decent Homes Standard.

The government paper also states that other measures will also be brought forward to “reset the relationship between landlords and tenants”. Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will further be abolished, the Government will consult on introducing a landlords register, and will set out plans for a crackdown on rogue landlords. These proposals will be outlined in more detail in the spring Rental Reform white paper.

The announcement that section 21 Notices were to be abolished was made some time ago and further details seem to be delayed once again until spring. It is fundamental that the Government get this legislation right to protect landlords. Landlords very rarely evict a tenant without a good reason to do so, for example selling a property or the rent being in rent arrears. If the rental market saturates, renters will end up with less choice and this could drive rents up. Landlords need the confidence that the private rental sector is a good place to invest, and they have the ability to safely protect their asset and swiftly remove tenants where they have a legitimate reason do so.