The government recently confirmed that 60% of the £39bn allocated for affordable housing, around 300,000 homes, will be made available at social rent levels.

To support this, the government is modernising the Decent Homes Standard and extending it to the PRS with Right to Buy reforms introduced to keep housing stock available.

Richard Beresford, CEO at the NFB, described these steps as “superb news” while calling unaffordable housing “the greatest barrier” to growth.

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Likewise, his colleague Rico Wojtulewicz — head of policy and market insight at the NFB and the House Builders Association — welcomed the government’s realisation of these issues.

“[This] announcement places more responsibility on the government to build our homes and opens the door to discuss why other nations do not copy the UK’s flawed affordable housing model,” said Rico.

“While changing our approach would be arduous, uncomfortable and lengthy, if we want to solve the housing crisis, we must rid ourselves of this awful policy which has weakened the UK housebuilding industry by restricting supply, making projects unprofitable, embedding legal challenge and taking from Peter to pay Paul, Pamela, Penny and Patrick.”