Housing sector leaders unite to call for long-term affordable housing plan at Westminster event

We recently took part in a Westminster roundtable discussion on the need for a long-term plan for affordable housing.

Members of our Executive Team, including Chief Executive Julie Doyle, Deputy Chief Executive Rob Griffiths and Executive Director of People and Performance Lynn Stubbs, were joined by representatives of other housing associations, as well as Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation and Lloyds Banking Group.

The discussion, which was held on the day Rishi Sunak announced a summer general election, focused on what more can be done to champion the social housing sector and ensure the next government commits to a long-term plan.

The event was hosted by Matt Warman, MP for Boston and Skegness, and was attended by representatives from the offices of other MPs.

Julie said: “The demographic has changed significantly. People are living for longer and with many more issues around health and wellbeing, whether that be physical disabilities or mental health.

“We need to create a chance for the sector to think differently, and I know that’s difficult. Some of the more creative solutions are the expensive ones and can fall by the wayside.

“It really worries me that people aren’t linking housing and health, so I think we need to look at opportunities for ensuring the properties we build, and our existing ones, can be adapted for people as their lives and needs change.

By having a long-term approach to providing affordable and accessible housing, and linking this in with public health and the significant impact it can have on the public purse, we can make a difference.”

We’ll continue to support the National Housing Federation’s #PlanForHousing campaign, and during the debate in Westminster, Kate Henderson explained the importance of outlining the economic and social case for affordable housing.

She added: “What we’re keen to do is frame the need for a long-term vision for housing, and what that can do for communities. We’re framing it around the outcomes we’d like to see – how can we have a long-term plan that ends child homelessness for example.

“Through having a long-term strategy, we can tackle affordability in general. We want to see a recognition that this can get better and we need a planning framework that looks at the demographic. We need a coordinated, long-term approach that enables affordable housing to be available to more people.”