Prime Minister Andy Burnham Announces £10 Billion Housing Package for 70,000 New Homes

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a £10 billion package to build 70,000 new homes across England, marking the first major spending announcement of his government. The funding is part of a larger £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme originally agreed upon by former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and former Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The initiative will distribute funds among 33 strategic partners, including housing associations and, for the first time in the scheme's history, three local councils. Approximately 60 percent of the new homes are expected to be for social rent, while the remainder will include shared ownership and sheltered housing.

Regional allocations include £529 million for Greater Manchester to build 4,400 homes, which is the highest allocation outside of London. Other recipients include the North East, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands, Liverpool, and South Yorkshire. A separate £6 billion allocation for London is expected, though a final settlement has not yet been announced. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner stated that the investment is fundamental to turning around the housing crisis and helping families move out of temporary accommodation.

Center left sources frame the event differently. Some emphasize the announcement as a revival of council housing and a priority for the new administration. Others frame it as a backtrack by Prime Minister Burnham, noting that he previously campaigned on the promise that the entire fund should be dedicated exclusively to social homes rather than a mix of affordable housing types.

Opposition responses varied. Sir James Cleverly of the Conservative Party described the package as a sleight of hand, claiming the funding is backloaded to fall outside the current Parliament and that the delivery targets extend as far as 2039. Meanwhile, Reform UK announced its own proposal to build 50,000 social homes annually, though their plan prioritizes married people, military veterans, and UK born citizens, while suggesting that tenants could be evicted for failing to maintain their gardens.