Government announces further £250 million affordable housing boost

Housing Minister John Healey today confirmed a further boost for affordable housing with almost £250 million to provide 3,400 affordable homes and create around 5,000 jobs. Every region of the country will receive funding which is shared between 43 housing associations and other bodies operating across 97 local authority areas.

This funding comes the day after Mr Healey gave the green light to the biggest programme to build new council homes for almost two decades.

Together Mr. Healey's two announcements add up to a half billion pound boost to public housing to provide 5,400 new affordable homes, creating around 10,000 jobs. Projects in all regions of the country will benefit from the government investment, with 122 local authority areas receiving a share of funding for much needed homes. The funding will be distributed through the Homes and Communities Agency, the Government's housing delivery body.

John Healey said: "We are ready to use the power of Government and the benefit of public investment to help the country pull through recession by building the homes people need and creating the jobs that keep people in work.

"The £250 million funding I am announcing today will help tackle the shortage of affordable homes across the country, so associations can build the homes that families need. It will also provide a much needed shot in the arm for construction jobs.
"Yesterday I gave the green light for the biggest council building programme for nearly two decades with nearly £250 million public investment. Together we'll now see nearly 5,400 new affordable homes built across England, with work on many sites starting this year."
All the new homes will be affordable said the Minister with more than four in five built for low cost rent and the rest for first time buyers.

Successful projects that have been allocated funding include;