Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent speech in Liverpool outlined several housing policy proposals, including a recommitment to council house building and changes to home ownership schemes. The proposed £39bn council house building programme, spearheaded by Angela Rayner, is estimated to deliver between 14,335 and 15,494 homes per year, according to analysis by Ben Hopkinson of the Centre for Policy Studies. This figure does not include the cost of purchasing land.
Burnham also announced the end of Right to Buy for new social rented properties, while promising to protect the right for existing tenants. He stated this measure is intended to protect "the new homes we build so they are there for generations to come."
To assist young people in buying homes, Burnham introduced 'Your First Home', a revised version of Help to Buy. This scheme will allow individuals to secure a mortgage on a new build home with a 2.5% deposit, supported by a government-backed equity loan covering 20% of the purchase price.
The Prime Minister's plans also include legislating to give local councils the power to seize empty properties and rented properties not meeting standards. This comes as 562 previously rented properties were sold each day in the third quarter of 2026, an increase from 495 per day last year, following the burdens imposed on landlords by the Renters Rights Act.