The government is strongly encouraging local authorities to increase their supply of social rented housing

First reported	Story	Sources
26 Aug 2026	On 25th August, Angela Rayner wrote to all council leaders asking them to: Review their plans for increasing the supply of council homes Examine the financial position of their authority and make use of Right to Buy receupts Make full use of Section 106 opportunities Consider how council-owned land and buildings could be used for housebuilding Bring forward ambitious bids for the remaining SAHP funding Tell the government about barriers that are preventing the council from building ambitiously and quickly. The letter set out the government's expectation that every council should "scale up now", while asking for feedback on the plans of each local authority to build new homes, the available land and what further support or flexibilities are needed.	IH 98502

First reported

Story

Sources

26 Aug 2026

On 25th August, Angela Rayner wrote to all council leaders asking them to:

Review their plans for increasing the supply of council homes
Examine the financial position of their authority and make use of Right to Buy receupts
Make full use of Section 106 opportunities
Consider how council-owned land and buildings could be used for housebuilding
Bring forward ambitious bids for the remaining SAHP funding
Tell the government about barriers that are preventing the council from building ambitiously and quickly.

The letter set out the government's expectation that every council should "scale up now", while asking for feedback on the plans of each local authority to build new homes, the available land and what further support or flexibilities are needed.

IH 98502