Context
After 14 years of Conservative Government, Ealing council has a backlog of thousands of families waiting for a council home and an underfunded affordable housing programme. A report from Southwark council found that 71% of councils will have to delay or cancel house building projects due to lack of funding.
Question
After 14 years of Conservative Government, Ealing council has thousands of families waiting for a council home and an underfunded affordable housing programme. A report from Southwark council found that 71% of councils will have to delay or cancel house building projects. Will the Secretary of State look at ways to finally make local councils’ housing budgets sustainable so that we can build the affordable homes that my constituents in Ealing Southall desperately need?
Answer from The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (Angela Rayner)
My hon. Friend raises an important point. Since taking office, we have set out a series of measures to support councils to increase their capacity, confidence and motivation to invest in new homes. We are providing £450 million to councils to house some of the most vulnerable in society through the local authority housing fund, as well as injecting an additional £500 million into the affordable homes programme to deliver 5,000 new homes. We are helping councils borrow from the Public Works Loan Board at a reduced cost until the end of 2025-26.
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