Chancellor must use Spending Review to deliver boost to social and affordable housing investment, says Chair of Housing Committee

The Spending Review is ‘make or break' to deliver 1.5 million new homes and boost investment in social and affordable housing, says Florence Eshalomi, Chair of the cross-party Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee in a letter to Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, published today (Wednesday).

Letter from Florence Eshalomi, Chair, Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee, to Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer (3 June 2025)

The HCLG Chair's correspondence to the Chancellor states that evidence to the Committee from across the housing sector has been clear that the Government will fail to meet the 1.5m new homes target if it relies on the private sector alone and that investment in social and affordable housing is crucial to this ambition.

Florence Eshalomi, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee said: “The failure by successive governments to deliver enough new homes is having a devastating impact on our country. Families are waiting for years on social housing waiting lists, and young people are seeing their rent go through the roof while the dream of home ownership fades even further.

“The Chancellor must match the stated ambitions of the Government in the Spending Review and bring forward a generational increase in affordable and social housing investment. This is critical if the Government wants to meet its pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes in this Parliament.”