Calls for action over national £2.2 billion council housing budget black hole
Securing the Future of Council Housing
Lancaster City Council has joined calls for the government to fix England's council housing finances, including unsustainable levels of debt previously given to councils by government.
A report this autumn – Securing the Future of Council Housing – is backed by more than 100 councils and highlights how the national council housing system is in crisis, with finances pushed to the brink by past national policy decisions.
Ahead of Wednesday’s Autumn Budget, Lancaster City Council has signed a joint statement urging the government to help turn things round.
The new government’s commitment to a ‘council housing revolution’ is a huge step forward for communities across our country.
The Chancellor’s first Budget and spending review are a once-in-a- generation opportunity to fix England’s broken council housing finances.
The last government tore up its 2012 council housing settlement and left local government with a £2.2 billion black hole in housing budgets.
Our report urges the new government to turn this round, investing in urgently needed new council homes, addressing the unsustainable debt previously allocated to councils and creating a Green and Decent Homes Programme, so together we can deliver the more and better council homes and growth that communities up and down the country so desperately need.
Councillor Caroline Jackson, deputy leader and cabinet member with responsibility for housing, said: “Council homes are a cornerstone of a better life and are so much more than bricks and mortar. Here in Lancaster we have a huge need to improve the homes we have and to provide more council homes.
“There is no doubt that council housing across the country is in crisis – government has made decisions over the past ten years that mean we have big debts and not enough money to maintain and renew our stock.
“Together with more than 100 other councils we’re calling for the government to move now to fix England’s broken council housing finances, address unsustainable debt, and help us to make sure future generations have the council homes they need.”
Securing the Future of Council Housing was supported by 109 councils across England, led by Southwark Council. It highlighted that without urgent action a £2.2bn black hole in councils’ housing budgets across the country is expected by 2028.
Last updated: 30 October 2024