We are supporting the hugely important #HomesAtTheHeart campaign, which recognises housing's positive impact on the economy, environment, employment, and health and wellbeing, and asks the Government to put investment in quality affordable housing at the heart of the virus recovery plan.

Our homes have never been more important to us than they have been during the coronavirus crisis. For some people, home has been a sanctuary, but for others a prison. Everyone deserves a safe, secure, comfortable place to call home. Not just now, in the middle of this crisis, but always.

Investing in social housing makes this possible. It will boost the economy, create jobs and improve people’s lives when our nation needs it most. It can support economic and social recovery from the virus because:

  • Public investment in all types of new and existing social housing gives more back to the economy than it takes
  • Building and improving social homes – including delivering on the decarbonisation agenda – creates jobs, kick-starts growth and brings huge environmental benefits
  • Supporting people to live well in their social homes improves health and well-being and drives cost savings for the NHS
  • Social housing is at the centre of thriving communities

The campaign comes after the Local Government Association urged the government to deliver 100,000 social homes per year to support the country’s recovery from COVID-19.

It argues this housing could be rented to key workers who have helped fight coronavirus and to the families of those who have lost loved ones in the pandemic, and also accommodate the many thousands of rough sleepers who were placed in hotels and other temporary places.

LGA research found that investment in a generation of social housing would create £320bn for the country over 50 years through increased economic activity. It also found that every £1 invested in a new social home generates £2.84 in the wider economy with every new social home generating a saving of £780 a year in housing benefit.

What's happening?

The National Housing Federation along with partners Association of Retained Council Housing, Chartered Institute Of Housing, Crisis and the National Federation of ALMOs have written to an open letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak in The Times today.

These campaigns are putting on pressure on ministers to use house building and investment as central part of economic regeneration measures, which the prime minister Boris Johnson has said will be announced by the chancellor Rishi Sunak within weeks.

If you would like to find out more and support the campaign, view the campaign website.