Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has said although there is a “slim chance” the government will hit it’s 1.5m homes target, she refuses to admit defeat on the target, and has unveiled plans for the first national housing delivery board.
The government’s pledge to deliver 1.5m new homes during the current parliament was a cornerstone of Labour’s election win, with the lofty target requiring 350,000 new homes delivered per year.
Housebuilding since the announcement has encountered numerous obstacles, as global instability had combined with economic sluggishness in the UK. Estimates believe that up to September 2026, there have been 437,900 new homes delivered, coming in at just 29% of the government’s target.
Ms Rayner also commented on the government’s focus on backing council housing in particular, and has assured that the support for council-run homes will not lead to the neglect of housing associations.
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Rayner pointed towards the allocations of the first wave of SAHP funding, most of which went to housing providers, as a sign that Bunrham’s council housing pledge does not mean that associations will be left out to dry.
“If you saw the allocations that were given from the £10bn […] a lot of it went to social housing providers,” she said, speaking to House of Commons housing, communities and local government committee.
“We recognised that social rent is the most crucial thing. We need more homes for social rent and therefore housing associations make a vital contribution”.
Rayner also announced the creation of a new national housing delivery board, alongside the delivery of 420 new planning officers to speed up planning applications.
The board will bring together the Home Builders Federation, Construction Leadership Council and Peabody, Homes England, the Building Safety Regulator as well as housing associations, councils and mayors, with Rayner set to address the board next Tuesday.
She told the Press Association: ““We all know the scale of the housing crisis and the consequences for families denied the security of a safe and affordable home.
“I’ve made it my priority to back a new wave of social, council, and affordable housing and help those who can’t rely on the Bank of Mum and Dad to buy their own home.
“Now I’m bringing councils, government, and industry together through the country’s first national housing delivery board.”
This is alongside the hiring of 420 new planning officers, exceeding the government’s pledge of 300 new staff to speed up planning permission for family homes and small businesses.
“By getting the people who plan, fund and build our homes around one table, we can focus on cutting delays and the remaining blockages holding back housebuilding.
“With new housing starts already up 20% compared to this time last year, our bold reforms are working but there’s much more to do.” The Housing Secretary added.
Although the government’s 1.5m homes target now seems to be a pipe dream, an increase in housing starts and renewed tenacity in the delivery of social and affordable homes will be welcome news to both the sector and those who genuinely need its homes. Even more so than increased supply, the housing crisis can only be quelled by the delivery of homes people can genuinely afford to live in, something the private sector is increasingly failing to deliver amid rising prices and the cost-of-living crisis.
