Social Rent Housebuilding Starts Increase 148% – Latest 6-Month Data From Homes England

Housing programmes delivered by Homes England resulted in 15,682 new houses starting on site and 14,295 new homes completed between 1 April and 30 September 2024. This represents an increase in both starts and completions compared to the same period in 2023.   

A higher percentage of starts on site were for affordable homes than in the same period last year, with an increase of 12%, reflective of the current stage of the five-year programme when starts on site begin to accelerate.    

Of the affordable homes started in this period:

• 1,098 were for Affordable Rent, an increase of 4% on this period last year 

• 1,426 were for Intermediate Affordable Housing Schemes, including Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy, an increase of 22% 

• 2,002 were for Social Rent, an increase of 148%. 

The tenure is still to be confirmed for a further 8,547 of the affordable homes starts (a 1% decrease on this figure for the same period last year).

10,434 of the housing completions from 1 April to 30 September 2024 were for affordable homes, a 32% increase on the 7,929 affordable homes completed in the same period the previous year. Again, this increase can be attributed to the stage of the programme as delivery starts to ramp up.  

The Shared Ownership and Affordable Housing Programme (SOAHP) 2016 to 2021 closed to new business in March 2024 and, over its lifetime, delivered 135,962 affordable starts on site against a programme target of 130,000 

Of the affordable homes completed in this period: 

• 3,381 were for Affordable Rent, an increase of 9% from the same period last year 

• 5,062 were for Intermediate Affordable Housing Schemes, an increase of 63% 

• 1,991 were for Social Rent, an increase of 63%. 

Peter Denton, Chief Executive at Homes England, said, “The statistics published today show a strong set of half-year results, reflecting the sector’s hard work and determination to build the new homes and communities the country needs. 

“We have worked closely with our partners over the past year to manage pressures on delivery and ensure they have the security and certainty to keep going. 

“The mission from the Government is clear, so we will continue to work extremely hard to make sure our partners have the tools to carry on with the job in hand, creating the places that people are proud to call home.”

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