AQW 46681/22-27 – Building of social homes by housing associations

Posted on by pete baker

Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any plans his Department has to (i) support; and (ii) increase, the building of social homes by housing associations.

Minister for Communities: (i) At the beginning of 2025/26, the outlook for the Social Housing Development Programme was poor with a budget that would only have achieved 1,100 new social homes.

Since then, I secured a further £42m resulting in the largest investment ever in the Social Housing Development Programme, and achieved 1,765 new social home starts, representing a 17% increase in delivery year-on-year. There are now over 6,000 new social homes under construction across Northern Ireland.

In December, £29m was as much extra funding as the programme could absorb once in-year funding became available.

I have therefore repeatedly pressed the Executive to earmark more funding for SHDP and while there is some impact from this in the current budget proposals – this is still not enough.

(ii) 2025/26 saw record levels of investment in new social housing of £210million. This was an increase of £33.8m from 2024/25. While challenges remain, the focus is very much on working in close partnership with our delivery partners to build on what has gone before and sustain momentum. That is why I have initiated reviews of both the grant we pay to build new social homes as well as the standards we ask associations to build them to. Despite the financial constraints and challenges faced, meaningful progress is being made. Housing is one of my top priorities and I am determined to deliver real results for those most in need.

The review of the grant support for new build social housing will explore optimum approaches to the use of grant to ensure a more sustainable funding environment for Housing Associations.

The quality standards review will look at the design guide, and the standards that social housing is built to. Housing associations have advised that the design guide requires elements that are not really necessary or value for money.

ENDS