Sir Keir Starmer has launched a blistering attack on the previous government's record on social housing, blaming underfunding, systemic failure and 'awful Tory policies' for the current crisis. In a statement, the Prime Minister said the legacy of the past 14 years has left too many families without a stable home, with children languishing in temporary accommodation and domestic abuse survivors forced out of their homes.
Starmer highlighted the scale of the problem, noting that 1.3 million households are on waiting lists in England and more than 175,000 children are living in temporary accommodation. He also pointed to the depletion of council housing stock through the Right to Buy scheme, with over 2 million homes sold since the 1980s, many of which are now in the private rented sector.
The Prime Minister defended his government's early record, claiming that council housebuilding in England hit its highest level in almost 40 years in 2024-25, with more than 10,000 new council homes built. He also said that almost 65,000 affordable homes were delivered in the same period, including more than 12,000 for social rent – the most in over a decade.
Starmer outlined further measures to tackle the crisis, including a £39 billion social and affordable homes programme and new rules to support councils in building more homes. The King's Speech last month also included a Social Housing Renewal Bill, which will increase the eligibility requirement for Right to Buy to 10 years and reduce discounts. Newly built social housing will be exempt from the scheme for 35 years.
Finally, Starmer announced plans to end the situation where domestic abuse victims are forced to leave their homes, giving landlords new powers to evict perpetrators instead. 'Social housing is not just about bricks and mortar,' he said. 'It is about families, young people, and the vulnerable getting the security, stability and dignity they deserve.'
