Response to government's social and affordable housing package
28 January 2026
Our members now have the certainty they need to plan for the future with confidence.
On 28 January 2026, the government announced a new package of measured designed to ensure thousands more families have access to a warm, safe, affordable home. This builds on the new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) announced in the 2025 Spending Review.
Catherine Ryder, CE of PlaceShapers, said: “Today’s measures, combined with the SAHP, budget and the Spending Review confirm the government sees housing associations as key partners in delivering economic growth.
“Members are keen and ready to play their part in supporting a decade of national renewal.
“The return to rent convergence is a crucial step in rebuilding lost capacity in the sector and, coupled with low interest loans at 0.1%, will ensure our members can make the most of the opportunity provided by the new SAHP when the bidding window opens shortly.
“We also welcome the news that the government is intending to provide greater clarity to facilitate the more effective delivery of section 106 homes. With the right reforms, Section 106 can play a far stronger role in delivering high-quality, mixed-tenure communities, and we look forward to working with government on how this can be achieved.
“Taken together, these measures represent an important step towards ensuring the sector can contribute as fully as possible towards building the right homes in the right places for current and future generations.
“The new social housing taskforce, also outlined today, provides an important opportunity for government and the sector to work in genuine partnership to remove barriers to delivery and ensure a new generation of social homes becomes a reality.
“In addition to announcements on new homes, the clarity the government has provided today on the Decent Homes Standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, means our members now have the certainty they need to plan for the future with confidence.”