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Barwell: affordable rented homes could be prioritised over social rented
Housing associations could be expected to prioritise affordable rented homes over social rented in an effort to drive up housing numbers, the housing minister has said.
Gavin Barwell told Inside Housing the government is keen to ?maximise? the amount of housing that gets delivered ?for the money available so that will probably mean that you?re looking at more affordable rent rather than social rent?.
However, he said the sector should ?watch this space? because the issue of affordability for people on all incomes ?is an issue we?re thinking about? ahead of the Housing White Paper expected later this year.
Yesterday chancellor Philip Hammond announced more flexibility around the ?4.7bn Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme to fund affordable rented, shared ownership and rent-to-buy homes. Previously the fund only covered shared ownership and outright ownership.
Housing association chief executives have already said they are keen to build more affordable rented homes as a result of the funding flexibility.
Mr Barwell said the detailed criteria for the funding would be set out by the Homes and Communities Agency.
However, he added: ?At the moment one of the things that we?ll be interested in doing is maximising the amount of housing that gets delivered for the money available so that will probably mean that you?re looking at more affordable rent rather than social rent.?
He said the White Paper would seek to offer housing options to people ?in every part of the country? at different stages of the income scale?.
He added: ?I am conscious that particularly in those areas where affordability is most difficult that we?re not in that position yet? The pressure will be to deliver as many units as possible so the logic for the transition from social rent to affordable rent still holds, but watch this space in terms of the White Paper because it is an issue we?re thinking about.?
