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UK Government Unveils £7 Billion Social Housing Boost, Handing Mayors Greater Say

Mayors will set local priorities with Homes England under a wider £39bn programme, with bids opening in February.

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Housing secretary Steve Reed has issued a rallying cry of 'build, baby, build' since replacing Angela Rayner but is facing a challenge to deliver on the government's 1.5-million-home promise. Image: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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Overview

  • Indicative regional pots include Greater Manchester £1.8bn, West Midlands £1.7bn, North East £1.1bn, West Yorkshire £1bn, and roughly £700m each for Liverpool City Region and South Yorkshire.
  • A £150m brownfield package is intended to unlock more than 4,000 homes, with £13.8m for the Liverpool City Region to start 555 homes, £6.1m for Tees Valley to unlock 244, and confirmation of £17.6m for North East sites.
  • The plan sits within a 10‑year, £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme that the government says will deliver 180,000 social rent homes in England.
  • Local leaders can set the types and locations of homes in their bids, but funding must be approved by Homes England, so the headline regional figures remain indicative.
  • Opposition figures and committee scrutiny are pressing for clarity on when funds will be released and how much will be committed before the next election.