The government has unveiled new measures that will aim to accelerate the delivery of social and affordable housing.
Housing secretary, Steve Reed, announced the measures, which will provide councils, housing associations and other providers with greater financial support to boost the construction of new homes, as the government looks to deliver on its plans to reduce the record-high numbers of families and children stuck in temporary accommodation or on housing waiting lists.
The government has also announced the process to agree a compact with the social housing sector, urging all providers to come forward with ambitious pledges to ramp up housing supply. A new social housing taskforce, will be introduced, made up of key players from the sector, which will hold the sector to account on delivering the biggest increase in a generation.
Reed also announced a new Decent Homes Standard, the first update of decency standards in 20 years, which will ensure that landlords provide warm and efficient homes that are free of disrepair and damp. New Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will also be introduced which will require properties to be upgraded and potentially save social tenants hundreds of pounds a year on energy bills.
The latest update comes ahead of bidding opening next month for the £39billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP).
Housing secretary, Steve Reed, said: “Every new social home means one less family stuck on a housing waiting list. Building more social housing is crucial to fixing the housing crisis for good.”
“But that’s only part of the story. We’re also driving up the quality of social housing so they’re well insulated and damp-free to keep families safe and cut their energy bills in the years ahead.”
“I’m calling on everyone who has a part to play to build, baby, build.”
The government says that decisive action is also being taken to unlock homes delivered through Section 106 agreements where no affordable housing provider is willing to buy, with a new emergency, time-limited approach that will allow the tenure of uncontracted Section 106 units to be varied in such circumstances.
It plans to work with providers, councils and developers to agree a framework to get the Section 106 market moving again, with new measures to reset and expand the market, simplify the process and boost financial capacity of providers to buy these homes.
The government’s ambition is to deliver around 300,000 new social and affordable homes over the SAHP’s lifetime, with a target of at least 60% of homes for social rent. If achieved, the programme could deliver around six times more than the number of grant-funded social rent homes delivered in decade up to 2024.
Chief executive of the National Housing Federation, Kate Henderson, said: “Today’s announcements provide vital certainty for the social housing sector, delivering a serious, long-term plan for social housing.”
“The reintroduction of rent convergence after ten years is both fair for tenants and will enable the social housing sector to build vital new affordable homes while increasing investment in existing ones. Alongside this, the commitment to strengthen Section 106 will ensure that affordable housing remains at the heart of mixed communities across the country.”
“We welcome clarity on the new Decent Homes Standard and energy efficiency targets, which will give housing associations the confidence to continue planned work to improve the quality of their homes and bring down energy bills.”
“We’re also delighted that today marks the launch of a new social housing taskforce, through which we will agree a compact to strengthen our long-term partnership with the government, local councils, and social housing residents.”
“These announcements give our sector the confidence to deliver on our shared ambition of a generational boost to social housing.”
