The range of financial pressures facing social housing providers has led to fewer social homes being built and exacerbated a chronic social housing shortage in England, according to MPs.
A report from the cross-party Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, published before the announcement of the general election, called on ministers to invest in the sector to ensure that 90,000 new social rent homes a year can be built, and to re-examine how much funding is allocated to social rent homes.
The report said government should publish a target for the number of social rent homes it intends to build each year.
It also recommended using land value capture and reforms to grants and funding to support social housing, and help the sector deliver energy efficiency, decarbonisation, and fire safety improvements.
An LGA spokesperson said: “There are currently not enough affordable homes to meet demand, with more than 1.2 million households on council waiting lists in England and over 100,000 households living in temporary accommodation – this is a record high.
“The LGA has set out a six-point plan to spark a council house building renaissance, which must include urgent reform to Right to Buy.
“Long-term certainty on powers and funding could help councils deliver an ambitious build programme of 100,000 high-quality, climate-friendly social homes a year.”
