This week the government unveiled its new Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan with the promise of “swift and visible justice, increased fines and enhanced drug testing” for perpetrators.

The plan features a range of new measures for social landlords, including:

  • The updating of statutory social housing allocations guidance to ensure that anyone who commits ASB be ‘de-prioritised’ for a home and ‘moved to the back of the queue’
  • Speeding up the process of removing anti-social behaviour perpetrators from their communities by exploring a “three strikes and you’re out” eviction expectation for all social landlords
  • Consulting on extending ‘closure powers’ to social housing providers to make it easier and quicker for them to directly tackle nuisance premises without needed to go through the police or council officers.

The plan also sets out a new partnership framework for the government, police forces, local authorities, housing associations and youth offending teams to work together to address “the many drivers of anti-social behaviour and repair the damage to communities”.

A survey in 2022 found that over one in four social housing residents had been affected by anti-social behaviour in the past year. Applied across the sector, it’d be equivalent to one million households.

We’d love to hear your views on the government’s ASB plan. Do you welcome the proposals? Will they work? Please email us with your thoughts at [email protected]