Chancellor Rachel Reeves yesterday delivered Labour’s first budget in 14 years. Here are some reactions to statement from across the housing sector.

Phil Andrew, Group Chief Executive of Orbit, said: “After years of uncertainty and underfunding, we welcome the chancellor’s confirmation in today’s budget of an additional £500m under the Affordable Homes Programme and the consultation on a long-term rent settlement. Whilst we are encouraged that these measures, alongside planning reform, offer the first steps in equipping the sector with the financial capacity needed to build at scale and pace, whilst also effectively upgrading services for customers and existing homes, we must continue to be realistic that meeting the UK’s house building ambitions will take more time and funding.

“We, alongside many in the sector, are ready and willing to support the government in realising its affordable housing ambitions and look forward to hearing the detail around a new long-term Affordable Homes Programme from 2026, as well as participating in the rent settlement consultation. By working together with the government we are hopeful that we can secure the long term funding certainty needed, coupled with appropriate protections for customers, to ensure we can make the necessary strategic investments to build more homes as well as make our existing homes greener, and therefore cheaper to run for customers, as well as support the nation in reaching net zero.”

Mark Perry, Chief Executive of VIVID, said: “Monday’s statement by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and today’s budget, which confirm a £500m top-up for the existing Affordable Homes Programme amongst other items, will give greater certainty and support to the sector.

“If anything, these announcements indicate the Government understands the pressures the sector’s facing and we should take some comfort from this. Of course, having to wait for the outcome of the Spring Spending Review linked to the next Homes England AHP is not ideal given the Government’s ambitious housing target for this parliamentary term but in any event, it’s vital this future funding programme is significant and has flexibility.”

Lee Bloomfield, chief executive of Manningham Housing Association, said: “The chancellor’s confirmation of £500 million of new funding for the Affordable Homes Programme is certainly a positive – increasing it to £3.1 billion – but, given the additional money will deliver only 5,000 of the 1.5 million new properties Ministers have committed to provide over the next five years, it is merely a drop in the metaphorical ocean.

“The promised five-year social housing rent settlement will offer a degree of much-needed financial stability for housing associations, with the possibility of a 10-year settlement after a consultation process.

“However, the rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions will not only add to the costs faced by housing associations, it will also impact on all other elements of the supply chain which will be expected to deliver the many new homes so desperately required.

“I sincerely hope that the chancellor has not made a decision she will come to regret.”

Paul Dolan, Group Chief Executive of Riverside, said: “We welcome the chancellor’s focus on affordable housing and taking the first steps towards achieving the government’s mission of building 1.5m new homes in today’s budget.

“The £500m boost to the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) will help with delivery in the short-term but the acid test will come in next year’s Spending Review when long-term funding for the AHP will be decided.

“As one of the biggest developing housing associations, we stand ready to work with the government to achieve its house building mission, however we need the long-term financial certainty to match our commitment through a ten-year rent settlement and increased funding.

“We welcome the new investment in building safety and in homelessness prevention to ensure our customers can live in safe and secure homes.”

Places for People’s chief impact officer, John Greaves, said: “Labour continues to demonstrate its commitment to reversing decades of decline in affordable housing and we stand ready to help this government bring transformative change to communities.

“An injection of £500m to the current Affordable Homes Programme is a vital boost and in line with what we have been calling for all summer through our Time To Build campaign.

“But the UK needs sustained national investment in affordable housing to truly drive up supply, boost the economy and ease strain on the welfare system. Today’s landmark investment for Scotland now must be spent in its Affordable Housing Supply Programme, while parliament’s long-term housing strategy next Spring must set out further plans to get Britain building.

“A five-year social rent settlement gives us the prolonged financial certainty we have craved, equipping us to confidently invest in improving our stock, delivering better services and building more of the right homes in the right places. A consultation on longer-term future options, including a 10-year settlement, would further support effective planning and sustainable investment.

“Labour’s first Budget in 14 years is a welcome first step but the real journey starts now. Government must urgently work with the right partners to go further and faster in driving the positive societal change it promises. Nobody brings as much to the table as PfP and as a key partner to Government, we can play a key role in creating thriving and healthy Communities where nobody is left behind.”

Paul Kissack, Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: “Today’s actions alone won’t be enough to fix the foundations for millions who struggle winter after winter in devastating hardship. The chancellor is right that change must be felt. The people who needed to feel the most change are those living in and at risk of hardship.

“Limiting the devastating impact of deductions is a good step. There was also welcome investment in social homes, help for carers to work and care, and a rise in the minimum wage.

“It’s deeply worrying that we haven’t seen changes to social security that will seriously bring down hardship. In particular private renters will feel let down by the choice to keep Local Housing Allowance frozen means that it will become further out of step with local rent levels, which have soared in recent years.

“People receiving sickness benefits also face a fearful future at a time when almost two thirds of those experiencing destitution have a long term health condition. The government has failed to explain how they will save £3bn from the benefits bill and will offer no certainty and more anxiety rather than the respect they deserve.”

Andy Sutton, co-founder and chief innovation officer at Sero, said: “£3.4bn into the Warm Homes Plan over the next three years is a welcome confirmation. Whilst it’s arguable if this is more or less than the sector was expecting from past pledges by this and previous governments, it’s beyond doubt that this level of funding will need to be very significantly supplemented to achieve the >£100bn required to raise our social housing stock to Net Zero.

“£1bn towards making buildings safe is also very welcome, and we hope reflects a growing recognition that quality, safe and healthy outcomes are fundamental requirements that cannot be taken for granted. We’re pleased to see this ties up with recent enforcement around the quality of retrofit delivery, and proof this is delivered in practice.

“What wasn’t said, or maybe I just missed, was an appetite to tackle the bigger questions – electricity vs gas price rebalancing to aid electrification of heat; tax reforms to support decarbonisation measures; scope reforms for rent or service charges to provide investment vehicles; and digitisation to drive data-led actual performance outcomes.

“Hence it’s a welcome budget, but there’s still a long way to go in the UK’s Net Zero journey.”

Executive Mayor of Mansfield Andy Abrahams said: “Councils and housing authorities across the country, will be supporting these measures to tackle the national shortage in affordable housing.

“For too long local authorities have faced ever increasing waiting lists for council homes while their supply of housing has dwindled through Right to Buy.

“Not being able to use 100% of the income generated by those sales to reinvest in new housing has hindered our ability to provide more badly needed homes. Today’s announcement will help to address the clear need in Mansfield and elsewhere for more social housing for rent.”

Paresh Raja, CEO of Market Financial Solutions, said: “The government’s commitment to house building should stimulate activity across all segments of the housing market, creating a wide range of opportunities for buyers and investors. But people can be forgiven for listening to today’s Budget pledges with a degree of scepticism – almost every Budget includes promises to build more homes, but the devil is always in the detail.

“Reforming the planning system is clearly key, so the government’s focus on this area is welcome, with the rumoured additional planning officers being confirmed by the chancellor today. It not only needs to be easier for new developments to get the green light, but also for investors and property owners to do more with existing real estate – conversions, renovations and extensions can do a lot to boost the national housing stock.

“It’s equally important that the government ensures new homes are delivered where demand is highest. If the location, type and quality of property is not high enough, there will be a struggle to attract buyers and renters, so there has to be a sharp focus on building the right properties in the right places.”

“Incentives like the Right to Buy scheme should always be welcomed. Ultimately, anything that will help more people get on or move up the property ladder is a positive move in creating an equitable property market. Further, greater accessibility typically spurs on activity throughout the market, which helps build momentum and boosts the UK economy. A rising tide lifts all boats, as the saying goes, and that’s why landlords and investors, despite facing challenges of their own, can still benefit from a more buoyant market.”

Sarah Fitzpatrick, Head of Planning, and Jennifer Glasgow, associate at Norton Rose Fulbright, said: “The key focus of the Autumn Budget is reform of planning policy and procedure with the intention of providing sustained long-term growth. We have already seen the draft amendments to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), but the Budget confirmed the government’s intentions for planning reform enabling the removal of barriers for growth. This will be aided through simplifying the planning system, developing a 10-year infrastructure strategy, which is currently expected to be published alongside the Phase 2 Spending Review, as well as increasing funding.

“The government has already started to progress projects through the planning system having approved six National Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) since taking office – four of which related to green energy. The Deputy Prime Minister has also taken decisions on appeals below the NSIP threshold, within the 13-week decision period, this goes some way to support the government’s intentions they want to speed up the planning decision making process.

“The government is also focussed on housing delivery and affordable housing. As the Deputy Prime Minster has previously set out, the government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes and this was reiterated in today’s Budget. The government’s remedy is its commitment to NPPF consultation, the New Homes Accelerator and New Towns Taskforce as well as over £6bn of investment to promote affordable housing and support small housebuilders.”

Allison Whittington, Head of Housing and Health at Zurich Municipal, said: “Increasing the supply of housing for those that need it most is welcome, in addition it is important to improve the security of housing in our society.

“We also have to ensure that the sort of homes we build will be ones we are proud of in generations to come. Housing Associations already make a significant contribution to the delivery of new housing supply and have seen their finances stretched over recent years. Support for this vital sector is needed to enable them to continue to play their part in creating homes for all.”

Priya Nair, CEO at THFC, said: “It’s encouraging to see a new 5-year social housing rent settlement of CPI +1 percent, with 100 new planning officers. This will boost social housing stock and enable councils to invest for the future, especially with the reduction in Right to Buy discounts to protect existing homes.

“Reeves’ promise that the government will invest more than £5bn to deliver their housing plan is a much-welcomed move. Though there still remains the question of whether this will be enough to tackle the UK’s acute housing crisis.

“To truly make progress, the sector must seek new partnerships and innovative financing, combining public funds with private investment to meet ambitious housebuilding targets. This approach also applies to sustainable housing, where collaboration is key to achieving climate goals. The government should introduce incentives for private sector investment in green projects to accelerate progress toward net zero.”

“Ultimately, it’s time for the government to view housing as vital national infrastructure and invest more in affordable housing and housebuilding initiatives.”

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Hiking stamp duty on homes to rent when 21 people are chasing every rental property makes no sense.

“Analysis by Capital Economics has found that increasing Stamp Duty on rental properties from 3 to 5% will see a net loss of half a million homes to rent over ten years. This will not help the huge number of tenants for whom homeownership is still a distant dream.

“The chancellor has failed to heed the warnings of the Institute for Fiscal Studies that higher taxes on the rental market lead only to rents going up.

“What tenants needed was a Budget to boost the supply of new, high-quality rental housing. What we got is a recipe for less choice and higher rents.”