In a significant move to address the UK's housing crisis, the government has announced a £350 million investment aimed at increasing the availability of high-quality homes and tackling rogue landlords in supported housing.
This initiative is set to benefit thousands of people across the country, providing them with the security and safety of a decent home.
The investment includes a £300 million boost to the Affordable Homes Programme, which will facilitate the construction of up to 2,800 additional homes. Notably, half of these homes will be allocated for social rent, ensuring that more people have access to affordable housing. Additionally, a £50 million increase to the Local Authority Housing Fund will enable the creation of over 250 new council homes, providing better-quality temporary accommodation for those in need.
This funding injection supports the government's broader plans to deliver the largest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. With over 123,000 households currently in temporary accommodation, including nearly 160,000 children, this initiative aims to turn the tide against the unacceptable housing crisis that has left many families struggling.
In a bid to protect the most vulnerable members of society, the government will soon unveil plans to crack down on exploitative behaviour by rogue and criminal supported housing landlords. These landlords have been exploiting the system by claiming uncapped housing benefit while providing substandard living conditions for vulnerable individuals, often without the necessary care or support.
Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, commented:
“For so many families, and their children, the security and safety of a home of their own remains firmly out of reach – and instead they have to live in temporary accommodation, including in B&Bs.
“This is unacceptable and is the result of the housing crisis we are facing head on. That’s why we’re driving forward on our plans to ensure a better future for everyone who needs a safe home, building on our plans to drive up living standards and build 1.5 million homes through our Plan for Change.”
The new measures will include a licensing scheme, tougher standards, and the ability to stop housing benefit payments to rogue landlords. This crackdown is a response to shocking cases where vulnerable people have been housed in squalid conditions, including instances where rape victims were placed with sex offenders and entire streets were plagued by open drug use and anti-social behaviour.
This latest investment follows a £500 million allocation in the Budget for up to 5,000 more affordable homes, further supporting the programme's original £11.5 billion target to deliver up to 130,000 homes by 2026. The government is committed to building 1.5 million homes to meet the country's needs and improve living standards.
National Housing Federation Chief Executive Kate Henderson added:
“Today’s funding announcement demonstrates that the government recognises that boosting funding for new affordable homes, particularly those for social rent, is essential to meeting its ambitious housing targets and commitment to building a generation of new social homes.
“Housing associations share the government’s housing ambitions and we welcome this top-up to the Affordable Homes Programme. The funding announced today – in addition to the funding announced in the autumn - will help maintain momentum in the delivery of much needed social and affordable housing ahead of the new Affordable Homes Programme being announced at the Spending Review.
“Housing associations are facing a number of financial challenges due to decades of funding cuts. Alongside this vital funding injection, we hope to see a package of supportive measures at the upcoming Spending Review to enable the sector to build the homes our country needs.”
The investment will support a mix of tenures, with a strong focus on delivering homes for social rent. Approximately £30 million of funding is being reallocated from previous rounds, bringing the total number of homes to be delivered by the third round to more than 2,700. Councils that submitted applications will be notified of their funding allocations in the coming days.
These efforts are part of a wider strategy to improve housing for millions of working people across the country. The government is also committed to modernising the way homes are bought and sold, aiming to save time and money for buyers and reduce the risk of property transactions falling through.
With this substantial investment and the forthcoming measures to tackle rogue landlords, the government is taking decisive action to address the housing crisis and ensure that everyone has access to safe, secure, and high-quality housing.
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