The UK Government has launched a landmark £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, aiming to deliver around 300,000 new homes over the next decade — the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation.
At least 60% of the homes will be for social rent, linked to local incomes, equating to around 180,000 homes — six times more than were delivered in the previous decade. The plan forms a central pillar of the government’s Plan for Change, tackling the housing crisis and improving living standards for families across the country.
The new long-term strategy, Delivering a Decade of Renewal, sets out five key steps:
- A record increase in grant funding
- Rebuilding the sector’s capacity to invest
- Establishing a stable regulatory regime
- Reinvigorating council housebuilding
- Forging a renewed partnership with housing providers
The plan also introduces a 10-year rent settlement from April 2026, giving housing providers the certainty to invest in both new and existing homes.
Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, commented:
“We are seizing this golden opportunity with both hands to transform this country by building the social and affordable homes we need, so we create a brighter future where families aren’t trapped in temporary accommodation and young people are no longer locked out of a secure home.
“With investment and reform, this government is delivering the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation, unleashing a social rent revolution, and embarking on a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing in this country.
“That’s why I am urging everyone in the social housing sector to step forward with us now to make this vision a reality, to work together to turn the tide on the housing crisis together and deliver the homes and living standards people deserve through our Plan for Change.”
The government will modernise the Decent Homes Standard, extend it to the private rented sector, and introduce Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for social housing for the first time. A consultation on rent convergence measures is also underway, with options capped at £1 or £2 per week.
Reforms to Right to Buy will protect vital council housing stock, while a new National Housing Bank and planning reforms will help get more homes built faster.
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