03 / THE POLICY TEST
What is government doing?
The response combines national planning changes, funding for affordable homes and attempts to unlock infrastructure. The test is whether homes start and finish.
Revised national policy
A new National Planning Policy Framework was published on 17 August 2026. The government says it introduces a default “yes” for suitable housing within walking distance of well-connected stations. Its wider reforms seek faster decisions and stronger delivery, while safeguards and site-specific impacts still matter. NPPF ↗ Government announcement ↗
£39 billion over ten years
The Social and Affordable Homes Programme runs from 2026 to 2036. It funds providers to build social and affordable homes; it is not a claim that all £39 billion has already produced completed homes. Government announced initial allocations and strategic partners in August 2026. Programme update ↗
Unlock sites and capacity
Government support for infrastructure and reforms to planning processes aim to move sites from consent to building. Delivery still depends on public services, skilled labour, utilities, viable schemes and finance. Government site-unlocking programme ↗
WILL IT WORK?
Likely to help. The 1.5 million target remains uncertain.
Planning reform and long-term grant funding address real bottlenecks. But 208,600 net additions in 2024–25 was well below a rough 300,000 annual pace. The policy changes are recent, so it is too early to attribute completed homes to them. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner described the prospect of meeting the target as a “slim chance” in September 2026 reporting; that is an attributed political assessment, not an official forecast. Guardian, 13 Sep 2026 ↗
Track annual net additions, starts, social rent completions, build-out of permissioned sites and adopted local plans. Avoid treating an announcement or an allocated site as a finished home.
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