Social housing bodies have written an open letter to Angela Rayner warning the government’s 1.5m homes target can’t be met without changes to the financial model for sector.

The letter requests an “urgent roundtable meeting” with the new housing secretary to discuss “practical next steps to rebuild the capacity and confidence of the social housing sector.” It has been signed by Gavin Smart, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, council housing bodies and 20 local authority leaders.