Angela Rayner promises greater public control of housing in England

Conference speech to announce housing associations cannot reject homeless families without good reason as councils gain new powers

Housing associations in England will be told they cannot decline to house homeless families without good reason, Angela Rayner will tell the Labour conference, as part of a drive for more public control of housing.

Homelessness charities said the new powers were a “gamechanger” and had the potential to make a significant difference to rough sleeping and families in temporary accommodation, the numbers of which have risen sharply. Almost 180,000 children are living in temporary accommodation.