Manchester ‘super council’ to go ahead

Government names universal credit pathfinder

Welfare reforms that will see a range of benefits lumped together into a single payment are to be introduced in Greater Manchester and Cheshire six months ahead of national roll out.

Greater Manchester to assess all public land

All publicly owned land across Greater Manchester will be assessed for its suitability for development in a bid to build new housing.

Carbon payments could raise £1.1 bn

Local authorities could set up multi-million pound funds to pay for carbon reduction measures using contributions from developing associations and house builders, under proposals unveiled this week.

Sustainable Housing Awards 2011

With the green deal approaching, the use of pioneering eco-technologies in housing is more important than ever before. Here Chloë Stothart reveals the housing providers, developers and architects leading the way

Easy on the Planet

Green guru

Social landlords must ask themselves now how they will access green deal cash and whether energy company obligation funding can help, says Sally Hancox

Going spare

The government’s contentious ‘bedroom tax’ on under-occupying tenants is set to become law this month. Alex Turner looks at the disproportionate effect it’s likely to have in the north

Cheated out of their savings

Abusive financial practices targeting the elderly are on the rise, but so are measures to protect vulnerable housing association residents. Alex Turner reports

Power to the people

A series of training programmes held across the country have been teaching tenants how to scrutinise their landlords. Helen Clifton finds out if it is working

A problem shared

Sharing views on retrofit with a group of landlords across Europe has been invaluable, says Richard Baines