Northern Housing Consortium Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said:
“We’re pleased that there’s been a strong focus on housing in the Labour Government’s first budget, recognising the importance of a home that everyone can afford. There are some good first steps: the £500m top-up to the Affordable Homes Programme will help our members continue to build social homes, and changes to Right to Buy should make it easier to increase the number of council homes available for those that need them.
“The Spending Review in Spring will be critical. The Government must provide longer term investment to build new social homes and unlock brownfield land; make existing homes greener, warmer and safer, including those in the Private Rented Sector, and regenerate communities across the North. It is only with long term investment that everyone will have a safe home they can afford.
“The Government is continuing to deepen devolution with more areas set to receive integrated settlements, increasing local control and helping better join up spending. This will help make sure investment delivers real change for Northern communities and is something which should be expanded further in coming years.
“We are pleased to see a commitment to the Warm Homes Plan but need further clarity on levels of investment in social housing. Investment in the North of £500 million per year for the next five years and £1 billion for the following five years, would kickstart supply chain growth and create thousands of good green jobs.”
ENDS