Trade body for England’s social housing providers
The government has announced the first tranche of the 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme, pledging around 10 billion pounds to build 70,000 homes outside London and thousands more through London, with a focus on social rent. The plan targets councils, housing associations and other providers to accelerate construction and reduce temporary accommodation for families.
The government has proposed ending the affordable housing quotas for new developments of 10 to 49 homes to jumpstart housebuilding. The National Housing Federation warns this could cost up to 32,000 affordable homes over 10 years, hitting rural England hardest. Ministers say the aim is to simplify the process and speed up housing delivery.
The Conservative plan to bar foreign nationals from social housing has been proposed to free up about 230,000 homes for British families. Critics warn it could breach human rights, drive up homelessness, and face legal challenges, while Labour argues it does nothing to fix the housing emergency and could worsen costs for taxpayers.