Help Us Unlock Success for More Tenants in 2027 

34 tenants from across the North of England have been chosen to receive an Unlocking Success Bursary this year, and we are lucky enough to share their stories on the Unlocking Success Bursary website. 

Each winner will receive £500 to help them develop new skills and opportunities, whether that is through training, qualifications, equipment, or support that helps remove practical barriers to help overcome practical challenges that might otherwise prevent them accessing learning opportunities. 

The Bursary relies on fundraising through our annual Unlocking Success Bursary Lunch, taking place on the 4th December at Ramside Hall in Durham. By booking a table, you will help us raise the funds needed to offer the Bursary to even more tenants in 2027 and demonstrate the housing sector’s collective commitment to supporting tenants to fulfil their potential. 

It is also a chance to spend time with colleagues from across the sector, reflect on the challenges and achievements of the past year, and hear first-hand how the Bursary is helping tenants across the North. 

We would be delighted if you could join us, bring colleagues or guests, and help ensure we can support another cohort of bursary recipients next year. To book a table or find out more, please email Lynda.redshaw@northern-consortium.org.uk.  

Thank you for your continued support for the Unlocking Success Bursary and for the difference our members make every day in communities across the North. 

 

NHC submits response to consultation on mayoral planning powers 

Mayors will receive important new planning powers from “early 2027” 

The NHC submitted a response to the Government’s consultation on new planning powers for Mayoral Strategic Authorities.  

The consultation proposes a range of new powers for mayors, including the ability to intervene in strategically important planning applications, introduce Mayoral Development Orders and establish a Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy (MCIL). In its response, the NHC supports the broad direction of the proposals while highlighting a number of issues that will need to be addressed if the powers are to deliver their intended benefits. 

A key theme of the response is the need for flexibility. Housing and land markets vary significantly across the North, meaning that a single national set of thresholds may not always identify developments that are genuinely strategic within local areas. We therefore made the case that mayors should have the ability to tailor thresholds to reflect local circumstances.  

Our response also makes the case for regeneration to be recognised as a distinct category of strategic importance. Across many northern communities, the most significant development opportunities are not large greenfield sites but estate renewal, town centre regeneration and the remediation and redevelopment of brownfield land. Mayors should have clearer powers to support these schemes and unlock delivery. 

Our response further highlights the importance of recognising the different governance arrangements that exist outside London. In mayoral authorities outside of the capital, mayors work alongside constituent council leaders through combined authority structures, and constructive relationships between those partners are essential to delivering housing, regeneration, transport and skills ambitions. New powers should support these relationships and be implemented in a way that protects collaborative working across mayoral areas. 

Alongside this, there are concerns about capacity and resourcing. Feedback from strategic authorities suggests that many areas will require additional specialist planning, development and viability expertise if they are to make effective use of the new powers. We therefore called for additional capacity funding to support implementation at the Autumn Budget in 28th October.  

The response also highlights the potential impact on local planning authority finances, particularly where Mayoral Development Orders could remove planning functions and associated fee income from councils. The government has not yet clarified how it intends to address this issue.  

On infrastructure funding, the we support giving mayors greater flexibility over how any future MCIL is designed and used. It is critical that any levy reflects local market conditions and does not undermine development viability in areas where viability is already challenging. Furthermore, we also called on Government to consider allowing MCIL receipts to support affordable housing delivery, which they currently cannot. 

The Consortium will continue working with members and Government as the proposals are developed further. 

Our full response can be found here.  

 

Northern Housing Consortium appoints former housing regulator Fiona MacGregor to Board 

The NHC has appointed former Chief Executive of the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), Fiona MacGregor CBE, as a co-opted board member.

Fiona MacGregor brings almost 40 years’ experience across social and affordable housing, including senior leadership roles in policy development, affordable housing investment and programme delivery, regulatory strategy, governance and sector oversight.

She served as Chief Executive of the RSH from 2018 until 2026, having previously held the position of Executive Director. During her time at the regulator, she oversaw its transition to a standalone organisation, led the introduction of new consumer standards following the Grenfell Tower fire, and helped establish a proactive consumer regulation and inspection regime designed to improve outcomes for tenants.

Prior to joining the regulator, Ms MacGregor held a number of national housing roles, working closely with government departments, ministers and housing sector leaders.

NHC chief executive Tracy Harrison said:

“We’re delighted to welcome Fiona to the NHC Board. She has made an enormous contribution to social housing throughout her career and is one of the most respected figures in our sector. Her experience spans regulation, governance, development and regeneration, giving her a unique perspective on both the opportunities and challenges facing communities across the country.

“With housing, devolution and regeneration firmly at the top of the Government’s agenda, Fiona’s insight, challenge and strategic advice will be invaluable as we continue to champion the North and support our members to deliver real change for tenants and communities.”

Fiona MacGregor said:

“The NHC plays an important role in bringing together northern housing providers to share learning, influence policy and create better homes and places.

“Throughout my career I have worked closely with organisations across different parts of the country and developed a strong appreciation of the distinct priorities, challenges and opportunities facing different places. I look forward to working with the NHC, acting as an ambassador for its members and helping ensure northern voices and priorities continue to be heard in national housing policy discussions.”

Ms MacGregor was awarded an OBE in 2011 and a CBE in 2026 in recognition of her services to social housing. She has also recently been appointed to the Board of Sanctuary Group.

First-Time Buyers, High Streets, Empty Homes and Homelessness Targeted in New Reforms

This week has seen Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaking at the Labour Party Conference about the importance of a good home, alongside the unveiling of a raft of measures with the aim of making sure more people can access a good quality home they can afford. The announcements are part of a programme to get the housing market moving and bring vacant properties back into use.

Chief Executive of the Northern Housing Consortium Tracy Harrison said:

“The social housing sector in the North stands ready to make the Prime Minister’s vision a reality. We are well placed to build on the devolution agenda with established Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Housing Partnerships bringing together councils and housing associations with the Mayors’ teams to deliver more homes, better places, and unlock jobs and better health through working together.

“There have been some positive announcements this week on supporting first time buyers, bringing empty homes back into use and improving high streets. But to fully capitalise on this ambition in the North, regeneration funding, alongside funding for building new social homes, is needed to revitalise communities and address homes that no longer meet the needs of local people.

“Whilst we do need Councils building more homes, housing associations already have much of the infrastructure needed to quickly get to work building new homes and improving or replacing existing homes, bringing immediate benefits to communities. I would urge the Government to work with housing associations, alongside councils, to unlock this capacity. The well-established relationships and track record of partnership working in the North means we’re ready to deliver.”

First-time buyers

A new equity loan scheme is being developed, with full details expected in next month’s Budget. Initial information from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government includes:

  • A government-backed equity loan worth 20% of the property value, with an initial interest-free period.
  • Applicants must be first-time buyers with a minimum 2.5% deposit.
  • Household income and deposit caps will apply.
  • The scheme will be limited to new-build homes sold by participating developers.
  • Developers will contribute towards the cost of the scheme.

£210m for high streets

The Government will use previously allocated regeneration funding to support four high-street initiatives:

  • £125m Derelict Buildings Fund: enables local authorities to convert vacant properties, including former shopping centres and cinemas, into community facilities and health centres.
  • £65m to renovate valued community buildings at risk of closure, including pubs and sports clubs.
  • £10m for High Street Rental Auctions, helping to bring properties vacant for more than a year back into use.
  • £10m for the Co-operative Development Programme, supporting mayors and strategic authorities to establish local co-operative businesses.

The £210m package forms part of the Place Regeneration Taskforce’s wider programme, which includes developing a strategy for town centres across England.

Empty Dwelling Management Orders reforms

The Government has reformed Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs), which allow councils to manage empty homes and return them to use for up to seven years while ownership remains with the property owner.

The two main changes are:

  • A property now needs to have been empty for only six months before an EDMO can be issued, down from two years.
  • Councils no longer need evidence of anti-social behaviour at the property or community support for the order.

The Government is also considering further support for councils seeking to bring empty properties back into use.

Social Housing Bill to strengthen homelessness prevention and protect social housing stock

Amendments to the Social Housing Bill will strengthen protections for homeless households and help retain social housing.

  • Councils will be able to refer homeless households to registered social landlords, improving access to housing and reducing reliance on temporary accommodation.
  • The Bill will also introduce a new disposals notification requirement, which will give councils and other social housing providers a better opportunity to purchase social homes before they are sold outside the sector with a notification period of eight weeks.
  • A new Duty to Collaborate will require public services to identify and support people at risk of homelessness.
  • The measures complement the Government’s £39 billion, ten-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

Warm Homes funding to be devolved to mayors and councils

At the Labour Party conference, Energy Secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh also announced the home energy upgrades scheme will be devolved to mayors, local government and communities – giving them the power to upgrade millions of homes.

The Secretary of State said that:

“The Government will devolve the warm homes plan, the biggest investment in home upgrade in British history.

“Instead of decisions being made in Whitehall, we will give mayors, local government and communities the power to invest millions of pounds in their place, to upgrade millions of homes, to renew estates, to train up young people for skilled jobs, to boost local businesses in their supply chain, to lift up their community.”

The Northern Housing Consortium has long called for devolution of this funding, to enable the people who know their communities best to have the power to decide what’s needed. We argued the case for this in our Warm Homes Green Jobs research and subsequent work with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. We’ve worked closely with our members and the department over recent years, including hosting roundtables and taking senior officials out to see how funding is working in the North.

 

Regulator of Social Housing – More and Better Social Homes

NHC Response to Call for Evidence

The Regulator of Social Housing’s More and Better Social Homes call for evidence focuses on how the regulatory framework can support the delivery of more social homes while improving the quality of existing homes.

The discussion document reflects significant changes in the sector since the economic standards were last revised, including tighter finances, sector consolidation, the need to increase housing supply and improve existing homes, and the emergence of new investment models and for-profit providers.

The proposals are structured around three themes:

  1. Essentials for more and better homes 

This section sets out ideas about the essentials that social landlords should have in common to deliver more and better social homes such as being centred on social housing, being independent and autonomous, financially sustainable, effective and capable of failing safely.

  1. Accountability for more and better homes 

Proposals are put forward to drive the delivery of more and better social homes while protecting tenants, homes and investors. This includes maximising value throughout the business plan, understanding ability to develop and acting on it, testing financial resilience, keeping the long-term value of social housing in the sector and increasing efficiency.

  1. Regulating for more and better social homes

A change of approach to regulatory engagement is proposed on data and reporting as the round of inspections in 2028 is completed. This could include more targeting and tailoring of work using risk, improving data and making more use of good quality data to identify risks, taking quicker action to address weaknesses and failure and promoting collaborative innovation.

Key Implications for Providers

This is an important opportunity for members to engage with the Regulator and influence these proposals before they are consulted on next year and come into effect in 2028. There are many significant aspects to these proposals including:

  • Closer scrutiny of strategy and delivery with proposals for business plans having to demonstrate credibility to support growth, quality and value.
  • Greater emphasis on measurable outcomes – clearer targets, stronger benchmarking and greater transparency, particularly in development, efficiency and resilience.
  • Increased attention to governance – renewed scrutiny of independence, asset control and how funding models align with tenants’ interests.
  • Higher expectations for risk management and resilience – more robust stress testing, clearer financial measures and more transparent contingency planning are likely to be required.
  • A greater differentiation in regulatory approach – the level and nature of regulatory engagement may vary considerably according to each provider’s risk profile, size and strategic significance.

Following consultation with our members, the NHC has submitted its views which can be read here.

The proposals are intended to stimulate discussion prior to a formal consultation. Feedback is invited until 30 September 2026, with consultation expected in 2027 and potential implementation from 2028.

#Renew the North for growth in every postcode

The Northern Consortium has submitted its representation ahead of the Autumn Budget and is urging the Chancellor to #Renew the North.  

The Government can support councils and housing associations to drive growth in every postcode and unlock at least 500,000 good quality homes across the North by:  

  • Adjusting and further devolving existing funding to better support regeneration  
    • Give Mayors and combined authorities greater flexibility to use the Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) for regeneration projects that meet local needs.  “Continuous Market Engagement” funding should not cap regeneration.  
    • Introduce Homes England performance measures focused on homes renewed and replaced, not just new homes delivered. Current indicators are heavily weighted towards new supply, limiting investment in regeneration projects across the North.  
    • Allocate National Housing Bank funding specifically for housing-led regeneration. This would help unlock schemes that are currently stalled by viability and funding challenges. 
    • Implement zero-rate VAT on building safety works and extend the zero-rating of energy-saving materials until 2030.This would maintain momentum in retrofitting, improving and regenerating older and colder homes. 
  • Establishing a new “Centre for Regeneration” in the North to build the capacity and capability needed to deliver regeneration at scale, while supporting Mayors with workforce development.  
  • Extending the term of the National Housing Delivery Fund to ten years, this will unlock all the North’s brownfield land and 320,000 new homes.   
  • Providing northern Mayors and combined authorities with devolved, place-based flexible funding of £500m per year alongside existing funding. Over ten years this investment would help transform the North’s 100,000 end-of-life social homes and enable Mayors to: 
    • Replace or refurbish end-of-life housing so residents can live in good quality social homes.    
    • Buy poor quality private homes, including empty homes, and turn them into safer and healthier social housing.  
    • Provide viability gap funding for strategically important regeneration schemes that deliver local benefits but are currently financially unviable. 

Chief Executive of the Northern Housing Consortium Tracy Harrison said:  

“The new Prime Minister has put housing, devolution and regeneration at the top of his agenda. Over the summer, I visited regeneration sites across the North and saw first-hand how housing-led regeneration is an essential part of driving growth in every postcode, making sure everyone has access to a good-quality home and creating thriving communities. However, despite the benefits, it remains challenging to deliver in the North. Lower land values and high remediation costs mean many regeneration schemes are simply not viable without Government support. 

“In our budget representation, we’ve set out changes the Government can make to unleash the potential of regeneration. Adjusting and further devolving existing funding to better support regeneration will have an immediate impact. Extending the National Housing Delivery Fund to ten years would unlock all the North’s brownfield land and 320,000 new homes.  

“To go further and make sure no one and nowhere is left behind, we are urging the Government to provide northern Mayors and combined authorities with devolved, place-based flexible funding of £500m per year alongside existing funding. Over ten years, this would transform the North’s 100,000 end-of-life social homes.

“Funding changes need to be underpinned by investment in capacity and capability. A new Centre for Regeneration would make sure regeneration can be delivered on the scale needed to drive growth in every postcode and transform communities in the North.” 

The Northern Housing Consortium is leading the Renew inquiry into housing-led regeneration for northern growth, supported by Homes for North and Muse. The Renew report found housing-led regeneration can unlock at least 500,000 good quality homes across the North of England. This includes reviving struggling high streets with over 100,000, new homes in town and city centres, building 320,000 homes on brownfield land and renewing or replacing 100,000 social homes in need of regeneration. 
 

Further information about Renew can be found here.  

Northern growth strategy: next steps

The Northern Housing Consortium responded to the invitation for views from Government to help shape the next phase of the Northern Growth Strategy, ahead of a further update in the autumn.

Our submission to Government draws heavily on our Renew inquiry into housing-led regeneration for northern growth, supported by Homes for the North and Muse.

The Northern Growth Strategy: Next Steps sets out how the Government will drive growth in the North of England, working alongside local leaders. It recognises housing-led growth as a driver of productivity in northern towns and cities and commits to deeper devolution that empowers local leaders to shape and deliver growth.

Northern Housing Consortium Chief Executive Tracy Harrison said: “The strategy focuses on the Northern Growth Corridor and densification of housing in the region’s major cities, promising to deliver 127,000 new homes. The recommendations are welcome, but there is a wider opportunity to make sure no one and nowhere is left behind. Our recent Renew report found that housing-led regeneration could unlock at least 500,000 high-quality homes across the North of England, creating thriving communities while supporting growth and productivity.

“Housing providers and other stakeholders told us viability is a widespread structural barrier across the North. Lower land values and high remediation costs for brownfield sites make many schemes unviable without Government support. In addition, lower rents but similar costs for northern social housing providers means investment in refurbishing and replacing homes often comes at the cost of building new homes.

“We are calling on the Government to provide the right support, including long-term devolved regeneration funding, and local capacity building, to seize the opportunity offered by housing-led regeneration. This will help achieve the housing ambitions set out in the Northern Growth strategy and support smaller towns and places in the North to thrive.  Our policy recommendations are about ensuring that regeneration is viable and achievable across the North, which has diverse needs and challenges. We are hopeful that the increased devolution recommended in the strategy will help target investment where it is needed most, including those smaller places.”

The Renew Report places the quality of homes and places at the heart of regeneration, viewing it as essential for health, wellbeing, and economic growth. We believe that with targeted investment and policy support, housing-led regeneration could unlock at least 500,000 high-quality homes across the North of England, creating thriving communities while supporting wider growth and productivity.

 

Renew update

Over the past few months, the NHC has been continuing to press the case for regeneration in the North with the Government and building the political momentum around Renew – our inquiry into housing-led regeneration for northern growth – supported by Homes for the North and Muse. 

Our most recent work on Renew includes:  

  • sharing our Renew report with northern MPs, ministers, Mayors, and other political stakeholders – including Andy Burnham MP and No.10 housing advisors.  
  • meeting with Tom Riordan, Northern Growth Envoy at HM Treasury. We’ve also met HM Treasury policy officials to discuss our Renew findings and understand their priorities.   
  • holding a policy roundtable with NHC members and Emma Payne, Director of Social Housing, MHCLG, and Selvin Brown, Director Net Zero Buildings, DESNZ, to explore the findings of our Renew report and discuss the real-world challenges and opportunities. 
  • discussed Renew at an MHCLG Social Housing Directorate away day, as part of the panel ‘Social Housing: Looking Ahead’. 
  • continuing to work with Lord Best OBE DL and Andrew Cooper MP, as Chairs of our Renew Inquiry and Westminster Group respectively. Lord Best OBE DL wrote an article for The House magazine (the magazine for parliamentarians) and Andrew Cooper MP wrote an article for Red Brick.  
  • Andrew Cooper also raised Renew in parliament during a Westminster Hall debate on estate regeneration. He highlighted our Inquiry and said that without significant intervention 100,000 social homes in the North could be lost over the coming decade. He also spoke about the far-reaching benefits of housing-led regeneration, and the need for regeneration to be delivered with communities. The overall tone of the debate was positive, with the need for good resident engagement a strong focus. It’s great to see how the rhetoric on regeneration is changing. The debate and a comment from the NHC was covered in Inside Housing.   
  • sharing our Renew findings and recommendations with key Labour Party figures at the Fabian Society’s Housing Summit in London, where Patrick Murray, Executive Director (Policy and External Relations) was on a panel with Martin McCluskey MP, now Minister for Local Energy and Jobs and Anna Dixon, MP for Shipley, along with social housing activist and author Kwajo Tweneboa.        
  • hosting a one-day Great North theatre on Renew at Housing 26 – with key contributions from Lord Best OBE DL, who set out how the continued focus on new homes was crowding out regeneration, but was optimistic the tide was turning. Martin Hilditch, Editor, Inside Housing, a whole host of brilliant NHC members, along with Sheffield resident, Lara Joyce, added to the packed agenda! The Great North Theatre showcased some of the fantastic work going on in the North. The message was clear – even more can be done with further support for housing-led regeneration and continued devolution.  
  • continuing to work with Inside Housing as part of their Spotlight on Regeneration series. Recent regeneration articles can be found on their website. We also worked with Red Brick on a series of articles on regeneration.   

The NHC team has also been developing resources to help you activate engagement with Renew with your local politicians. We will share these with members in the coming weeks and months to help build momentum to make this change happen. If you would like to take action now – get in touch with Saskia and we’ll work with you or your team, email – Saskia.neibig@northern-consortium.org.uk  

We will also discuss how you can help Renew as part of our joint Communications and Policy Network in September – you can view further details about the event and book your place at My NHC.  

Announcing the recipients of the 2026 Unlocking Success Bursary 

 

We are delighted to announce the recipients of Northern Housing Consortium’s Unlocking Success Bursary. Each winner has received £500 to support their education, training or community ambitions, supporting social housing residents across the North to achieve their goals. 

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners, who we will be celebrating at this December’s Unlocking Success Bursary Lunch. For more information on joining us at the Bursary Lunch, please visit MyNHC. 

Livin 

  • Allan Todd: Selected to help him return to employment as a recovery driver, rebuilding his confidence and sense of purpose while making a positive difference to others. 
  • Billy Clifton: Supported to establish an affordable community shop offering good-quality second-hand goods, helping local people on low incomes while reducing waste. 
  • Ahmad Mohmd Dib Elhasan: Awarded funding for the licences needed to become a taxi driver, helping him achieve financial independence and support his family. 

Believe 

  • Domingo Ibanez Navarro: Supported with a high-performance laptop and learning materials for his BSc in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics. 

Connect 

  • Lexi Thompson Brighty: Selected to pursue her ambition of becoming airline cabin crew, with funding towards her Level 2 Diploma, safety training and passport. 

Gentoo 

  • Emma Naisby: Awarded funding for a Level 3 dog walking and boarding qualification, supporting both her business ambitions and personal wellbeing. 

Halton Housing 

  • Laura Mason: Supported to train as a Reiki practitioner and integrate the practice into her counselling work, helping clients with their wellbeing and healing. 

Kingston upon Hull City Council 

  • Craig Smith: Selected for his commitment to fellow residents. He will provide shared digital equipment in his supported housing complex and renew food-hygiene qualifications to help run community events. 

Karbon 

  • Jolene Metcalf: Supported to complete a Higher Level Teaching Assistant course and develop her career helping children with special educational needs. 
  • Jemma Marie Smith: Awarded funding for a Level 3 Certificate in Property Agency, enabling her to build on her accounting qualification and pursue a career in property. 

Leeds City Council 

  • Lydia Hirst: Selected to undertake specialist bridal and prom hairstyling training, helping her develop her talents after overcoming significant challenges in mainstream education. 

Newcastle City Council 

  • Ava Phillipa Mallloy: Supported with an iPad for her criminology, psychology and law studies, reducing the impact of hypermobility and fibromyalgia on her ability to take notes. 
  • Gamilah Faraj: Awarded funding for a sewing machine and course, with plans to earn an income and teach sewing to women with limited English. 
  • Omid Noorzai: Supported to study AI programming and purchase a laptop, strengthening his employability and helping him work towards establishing his own consultancy after rebuilding his life in Newcastle. 

Places for People 

  • Paul Daley: Selected to retrain as a gym instructor, gaining the qualifications now required to return to a career he loves and help others achieve their goals. 

St Leger 

  • Beth Quinton: Supported to complete a Level 3 Forest School qualification and help children with additional needs build confidence through nature. 

Sheffield City Council 

  • Victoria Ashton: Awarded funding for a laptop and travel costs while completing a Level 2 Teaching Assistant course focused on supporting children with autism. 
  • Alexander Shreeve: Supported to obtain a higher-level HGV licence, opening access to better-paid employment and greater financial stability. 
  • Lyndsey Fronczyk: Selected to support her paramedic training, including a laptop for home study, as she works towards providing high-quality care in her community. 
  • Florentina Luca: Awarded funding for a laptop to complete the English and science qualifications required for nursing, easing financial pressures as a single parent. 
  • Lisa McCann: Supported to undertake a floristry course and pursue her ambition of opening a shop specialising in funeral arrangements. 
  • Luwam Gebreab: Awarded funding for a laptop to complete online coursework and research for a nursing degree. 
  • Maria Pearson-Sacker: Supported with a laptop and books for university-access studies in maths and English, with the goal of progressing to a nursing degree. 
  • Deryn Jade West: Selected for support with university fees and materials while completing a bachelor’s degree in Mental Health Nursing. 
  • Wahada Majid: Awarded funding towards registration fees for psychotherapy training, enabling continued support for people experiencing grief, trauma, anxiety and depression. 
  • Gertrude Omaboe: Supported with travel, learning materials and childcare while studying for an MSc in Occupational Therapy. 
  • Abdul Rahman Mohammed Fadil Ahmed: Awarded funding for a laptop, books and equipment for an Open University Diploma of Higher Education, building on his previous experience as a primary-school teacher. 
  • Lauren Kerry: Supported with a laptop and living costs while training as an adult nurse and completing placements, alongside caring for her child. 
  • Samantha Jacques: Awarded funding for a laptop and course fees while completing a Level 2 Teaching Assistant qualification. 
  • Omobowale Ogunrinola: Supported with a laptop, learning materials and childcare costs while studying to become a social worker. 
  • Rachel Susan Stringer: Awarded funding for a laptop and End of Life Care course fees, helping her pursue a career supporting people in the care sector. 
  • Leanne Lawson: Supported with the cost of an Access to Higher Education course in Social Work, easing financial pressure while she cares for her two children. 
  • Rikki James Latham: Selected to restart construction training through night classes, with support for travel and tools as he works towards becoming a bricklayer. 

Social and Affordable Homes Programme Statement August 2026

Welcoming the announcement of funding being released from the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, Patrick Murray, Executive Director (Policy and External Relations) at the Northern Housing Consortium said:

 “It’s great news for communities in the North almost £10bn of funding from the Social and Affordable Homes programme has now been announced outside London. Our members stand ready to build much-needed new homes, and we share the Government’s ambition for everyone to have a secure, affordable home which gives them the foundation for a good life. Allocating this funding now is the most important step to building more social housing in the next few years.

We also welcome increased collaboration between Homes England and Strategic Mayoral Authorities, with a bigger role for Mayors in the future, and the North’s housing partnerships will also be central to this. In the North, these relationships already have strong foundations and are proving to be a successful delivery model. This will mean we will be able to better respond to different housing challenges in different places and ultimately get more of the right homes built in the right places.

“However, the programme has been oversubscribed, which demonstrates the appetite for development and unfortunately means disappointment for some of our members who could build more much needed social homes with more funding. We also understand that the flexibility which allows the Social and Affordable Home Programme to be used for estate regeneration could be further utilised to unlock more delivery. There is a gap in funding for regeneration. Our Renew inquiry has found regeneration acts as a catalyst for new development and unlocks capacity to build more social housing, particularly in the North. Further investment in housing-led regeneration through a £500m per year, 10-year devolved regeneration fund is needed.

Nonetheless this is a good day for all those in need of an affordable home. This announcement will mean more social housing and housing associations and councils can finally get on with building.”