Please note, this toolkit has not yet been updated to capture amendments to the standard method published by Government in December 2020. This sees the standard method maintained, but in order to deliver more homes on brownfield land the Government is applying a 35 per cent uplift to the post-cap number generated by the standard method to Greater London and to the local authorities which contain the largest proportion of the other 19 most populated cities and urban centres in England. This toolkit has also not yet been updated to capture First Homes as an affordable housing for sale product and associated policy requirements.
Why do I need to read this guide?
Not every neighbourhood plan will focus on housing in enough detail for a housing needs assessment to be necessary. However, for those that do, the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) guide has been written to assist you with the process.
The housing needs assessment guide explains what is involved in undertaking a HNA and what data and resources will be required to complete the assessment.
What will I learn from this guide?
- What a housing needs assessment entails at the neighbourhood level
- Which data may be required in undertaking a housing needs assessment
- How to recognise different types of housing tenure required, including affordable housing
Further reading
Because housing needs assessment work and site assessment work are often done concurrently, you may wish to read the ‘How to assess and allocate sites for development‘ guide.
How to undertake a Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) (2.3MB pdf)