Completions bounce back after last year’s slump
New statistics from Homes England show a 32% increase in affordable housing completions in the first six months of 2024-25 compared to the same period in 2023-24.
The latest delivery figures from the agency show 10,434 homes for affordable tenures delivered through Homes England programmes were delivered in the six months to 30 September, up from 7,929 the previous year.
When homes of all tenures are considered, 14,295 Homes England-funded units were delivered in the same period, a 22% increase year-on-year.
These include 73% for affordable housing tenures, including 1,991 for social rent – a 63% surge on the 1,218 completed in the first six months of 2023-24.
Meanwhile, 5,062 were for other schemes, including shared ownership and rent-to-buy, representing a 9% rise from the 3,110 completed last year.
The increase follows a 22% drop in the first half of 2023/24 compared to the previous year.
Peter Denton, chief executive of Homes England, said the results reflect the “sector’s hard work and determination”.
He said: ”We have worked closely with our partners over the past year to manage pressures on delivery and ensure they have the security and certainty to keep going.
“The mission from the Government is clear, so we will continue to work extremely hard to make sure our partners have the tools to carry on with the job in hand, creating the places that people are proud to call home.”
The flagship Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) 2021-26, completing 59% of builds, followed by the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme (SOAHP) with 32% and the Single Land Programme (SLP) with 4%.
The data also shows a 12% increase in on site starts for affordable housing in the first six months of 2024-25 compared to the same period last year. There were 13,073 on site starts for affordable properties, making up 83% of all starts.
Of the affordable properties in the early stages of building during the first six months of 2024-2025, 2002 were for social rent, up 148% from the 807 started in the previous year.
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Meanwhile, 1,426 were allocated for other schemes, including shared ownership and rent to buy, representing a 22% boost from 2023-24.
The AHP 2021-26 was responsible for 96% of starts, with the Levelling Up - Home Building Fund (LU-HBF) and SLP both contributing 2%.
Homes England’s £11bn AHP 2021-2026 aims to provide 180,000 new homes by March 2026, comprising half for discounted rent and half for affordable home ownership. The agency intends 10% of these units to provide supported living, 10% to be in rural areas and 25% to be delivered through partnerships using modern methods of construction.
East England received the most affordable housing, with completions in the region making up 21% of national completions. Homes England has limited responsibility in London as the Greater London Authority (GLA) creates and delivers its own schemes, such as the Homes for Londoners Programmes.
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