Housing Statistics December 2021, accessible version

Question 1

1. Key results

Accepted Answer

1.1 In the six-month period between 1 April and 30 September 2021 there were 13,229 housing starts on site and 14,289 housing completions delivered through programmes managed by Homes England in England (excluding London for all programmes except those administered by Homes England on behalf of the Greater London Authority (GLA)). Levels of starts and completions were higher than in the same period last year when the Covid-19 pandemic caused a slow-down in housebuilding activity. Homes England manages the Help to Buy (Equity Loan) scheme in England but the completions are reported by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) (formerly the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)) available from the webpage linked below ^{[footnote 1]} and are, therefore, excluded from this publication.

1.2 9,255 or 70 per cent of housing starts on site in the six months to 30 September 2021 were for affordable homes. This represents a decrease of 7 per cent on the 9,967 affordable homes started in the same period last year, when they accounted for 79 per cent of all housing starts. The number of affordable starts was the lowest since 2017-18 which can be attributed to the closure of bidding for the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme (SOAHP) 2016-21 in March 2021 and the gradual build up of starts from the newly launched Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) 2021-26.

1.3 1,656 affordable homes started were for Affordable Rent, a reduction of 50 per cent on the 3,322 started in the same period last year. A further 1,472 were for Intermediate Affordable Housing schemes, including Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy. This is a decrease of 47 per cent on the 2,782 started in the first half of last year. 868 were for Social Rent, an increase of 80 per cent on the 483 started in the first six months of last year. In addition, a further 5,259 affordable homes started with tenure to be confirmed ^{[footnote 2]}, an increase of 56 per cent on the 3,380 started in the same period last year. Of the affordable homes started in the six months to 30 September 2021, the highest delivering programmes were: SOAHP 2016-21 with 79 per cent (down from 91 per cent); the AHP 2021-26 with 11 per cent in its first period of delivery; and the Single Land Programme (SLP) with 5 per cent (up from 3 per cent).

1.4 10,007 or 70 per cent of housing completions in the first half of 2021-22 were for affordable homes. This represents an increase of 23 per cent on the 8,112 affordable homes completed in the same period last year, when they accounted for 67 per cent of total completions.

1.5 5,346 affordable homes completed were for Affordable Rent, an increase of 24 per cent on the 4,315 completed in the same period last year. A further 3,506 were for Intermediate Affordable Housing schemes, including Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy, an increase of 14 per cent on the 3,086 completed in the first half of the previous year. The remaining 1,155 were for Social Rent, a 62 per cent increase on 711 completed in the previous year. Of the affordable homes completed, the highest delivering programmes were: the SOAHP 2016-21 with 88 per cent (down from 89 per cent); the AHP 2015-18 with 4 per cent (down from 6 per cent); and Care and Support Specialised Housing with 3 per cent (up from 2 per cent).

Question 2

2. Introduction

Accepted Answer

2.1 Geographical coverage

2.1 This release presents the housing starts on site and housing completions delivered by Homes England between 1 April 2009 and 30 September 2021 in England excluding London (for both the current and historical series ^{[footnote 3]} ) with the exception of the Build to Rent (BTR), Builders Finance Fund, Get Britain Building and the Home Building Fund – Short Term Fund (HBF – STF) programmes which are administered by Homes England on behalf of the Greater London Authority (GLA) and where delivery covers all of England including London.

2.2 Purposes and uses

2.2 The figures in this release show the supply of affordable and market housing delivered through Homes England’s programmes ^{[footnote 4]} with the exception of Help to Buy (Equity Loan scheme), the statistics for which are published quarterly by DLUHC ^{[footnote 5]} . Further details on housing types are available in section 6 of this release. DLUHC also publishes annual statistics on affordable housing supply in England ^{[footnote 6]} showing the gross annual supply of affordable homes, irrespective of funding mechanism. Further information on the Affordable Housing Supply and Help to Buy releases is provided in section 8 of this release.

2.3 The data in this release are used by DLUHC to monitor delivery of affordable homes as part of the DLUHC business plan (see paragraph 8.3). Homes England uses the data to measure progress towards commitments made in its published Strategic Plan ^{[footnote 7]} and its Annual Business Plan. Local authorities also use the data when compiling their annual return to DLUHC for the purpose of calculating the enhancement for affordable housing under the New Homes Bonus (NHB), a grant for local authorities to incentivise new housing supply.

2.3 What is included in this release?

2.4 This is the first release of data relating to delivery for the six-month period ending 30 September 2021 and covers all current and historical programmes delivered by Homes England (summarised in Annex 1). These include the acquisition of existing land or property as well as new house building, and some programmes provide a mix of affordable and market housing. Affordable housing may be for home ownership (on Shared Ownership or Rent to Buy terms) or for rent.

2.5 Housing starts on site and housing completions are reported for each programme, where applicable.

2.6 A programme breakdown of the data is available in Table 1 of the tables accompanying this release ^{[footnote 8]}. Further information on the accompanying tables is provided in section 4 of this release. Table A of the latest annual statistics on affordable housing supply in England published by DLUHC ^{[footnote 6]} shows how Homes England programmes relate to the statistics on affordable housing published by DLUHC.

2.4 How is new subsidised housing provided?

2.7 Affordable homes delivered through Homes England programmes are funded by central government. The funding is administered by Homes England to fund investment partners (including private registered providers, house builders, community groups and local authorities) to deliver affordable housing.

2.8 With the exception of the Single Land Programme (SLP), funding for all programmes is allocated through an application/bidding process based on the assessment eligibility/criteria for each programme. Funding is paid in accordance with the contractual agreement for each programme. Investment for projects delivered under the SLP is determined in accordance with Homes England’s Framework Document ^{[footnote 9]}: and relevant commissioning template.

2.5 London

2.9 Since April 2012, the Mayor of London has had oversight of strategic housing, regeneration and economic development in London. This means that Homes England no longer publishes housing starts on site and completions for London, except where Homes England is administering a programme on behalf of the GLA. The historical series for London, which reflects past delivery by Homes England, is included in Homes England’s housing statistics published on 12 June 2012 (revised 24 August 2012) available from the housing statistics page on the Homes England section of GOV.UK ^{[footnote 10]}.

2.10 DLUHC has combined the affordable housing statistics in this release with the GLA’s affordable housing statistics to produce Table 1012 showing total affordable housing starts on site and completions delivered nationally under the affordable housing programmes of Homes England and the GLA ^{[footnote 11]}. From 2019/20 onwards, table 1012 includes units delivered by the GLA funded via the Right to Buy ringfence offer which are not included in their quarterly management information. Therefore there will be some discrepancies between the total in this table and the GLA’s own tables. This table excludes additional affordable housing delivery reported annually through local authority returns, which are included in DLUHC’s full annual release on affordable housing supply in England ^{[footnote 12]}. The table includes any revisions made to London data since it was published by Homes England on 12 June 2012 (revised 24 August 2012). Further details are provided in section 8 of this release.

Question 3

3. Housing outputs

Accepted Answer

This section provides the detailed statistics for housing starts and completions by tenure. It includes all Homes England programmes and analyses them over time ^{[footnote 13]}:

3.1 Starts on site

Table 1a: Housing starts on site by tenure, England (excluding non-Homes England London delivery) [1], [2]

Year [3]	Period	Affordable Rent	Social Rent	Intermediate Affordable Housing - Intermediate Rent	Intermediate Affordable Housing - Affordable Home Ownership	Affordable Tenure TBC [4]	Total Affordable Housing Starts [5]	Market [6]	Total Housing Starts
2021-22	Apr - Sep	1,656	868	75	1,397	5,259	9,255	3,974	13,229
2020-21	Apr - Sep	3,322	483	262	2,520	3,380	9,967	2,685	12,652
2020-21	Oct - Mar	7,391	2,182	191	4,276	4,184	18,224	6,454	24,678
2020-21	Full Year	10,713	2,665	453	6,796	7,564	28,191	9,139	37,330
2019-20	Apr - Sep	5,337	724	58	4,154	2,895	13,168	5,005	18,173
2019-20	Oct - Mar	11,675	1,685	118	7,420	1,843	22,741	6,894	29,635
2019-20	Full Year	17,012	2,409	176	11,574	4,738	35,909	11,898	47,808
2018-19	Apr - Sep	5,698	508	156	3,543		9,905	6,230	16,135
2018-19	Oct - Mar	12,074	749	158	7,760		20,741	9,102	29,843
2018-19	Full Year	17,772	1,257	314	11,303		30,646	15,332	45,978
2017-18	Apr - Sep	4,526	304	8	2,130		6,968	6,501	13,469
2017-18	Oct - Mar	12,627	1,314	108	7,017		21,066	7,616	28,682
2017-18	Full Year	17,153	1,618	116	9,147		28,034	14,117	42,151
2016-17	Apr - Sep	7,218	308	42	1,838		9,406	5,318	14,724
2016-17	Oct - Mar	14,895	629	8	4,201		19,733	6,693	26,426
2016-17	Full Year	22,113	937	50	6,039		29,139	12,011	41,150
2015-16	Apr - Sep	5,858	199	0	1,317		7,374	3,952	11,326
2015-16	Oct - Mar	10,686	431	5	2,822		13,944	7,838	21,782
2015-16	Full Year	16,544	630	5	4,139		21,318	11,790	33,108
2014-15	Apr - Sep	7,487	698	0	1,242		9,427	3,226	12,653
2014-15	Oct - Mar	14,392	547	21	2,071		17,031	5,676	22,707
2014-15	Full Year	21,879	1,245	21	3,313		26,458	8,902	35,360

[1] Since April 2012, the Mayor of London has had oversight of strategic housing, regeneration and economic development in London. This means that Homes England no longer publishes housing starts on site and completions for London (current and historical series) except for delivery in London under the Build to Rent, Builders Finance Fund, Get Britain Building and The Home Building Fund – Short Term Fund (HBF – STF) programmes which are administered by Homes England on behalf of the GLA. The historical series for London included in Homes England’s housing statistics published on 12 June 2012 (revised 24 August 2012) is available from: www.gov.uk/government/collections/housing-statistics

[2] Figures by local authority and region are available in the accompanying tables.

[3] To ensure consistent reporting with completions, with effect from 1 April 2014 the range of products reported for affordable housing starts on site includes the start on site for new build homes where the procurement route is such that the provider purchases the home at completion. For reporting purposes, the start on site date is taken as the date of completion.

[4] Tenure will be determined on completion of the unit and will be restated in future releases under its appropriate tenure.

[5] Total affordable housing is the sum of Affordable Rent, Social Rent, Intermediate Rent, Affordable Home Ownership and (for starts only) Affordable Tenure TBC.

[6] The market units delivered under the Accelerated Land Disposal, Build to Rent, Builders Finance Fund, Economic Assets, Get Britain Building, Kickstart Housing Delivery, Local Authority Accelerated Construction, Property and Regeneration, Single Land and the HBF – STF programmes may include some starts on site and completions which are made available at below market price or rents but do not meet the definition for affordable housing.

Charts 1a and 1b on page 7 of the pdf could not be made fully accessible. Please contact enquiries@homesengland.gov.uk stating the name of this document if you need this information.

3.2 In the period 1 April to 30 September 2021 (with comparisons to the period 1 April to 30 September 2020):

3.1 A total of 13,229 homes started on site, representing an increase of 577 or 5 per cent compared to 12,652. Excluding last year, levels of starts were the lowest since 2015-16 and this can be attributed to the closure of the SOAHP 2016-21 to new bids at the end of March 2021 as well as the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the housebuilding industry.

3.2 9,255 or 70 per cent of housing starts on site were for affordable homes – a decrease of 712 or 7 per cent compared to 9,967. Whilst some of this can be attributed to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic affecting housebuilding activity, 2021-22 is the first year of the AHP 2021-26 and historical trends show that delivery of starts tends to be low at the beginning of a new programme.

3.3 1,656 (18 per cent) of affordable homes started were for Affordable Rent, a reduction of 1,666 or 50 per cent on 3,322. A further 1,472 (16 per cent) were for Intermediate Affordable Housing schemes, including Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy. This is a decrease of 1,310 or 47 per cent on 2,782. 868 (9 per cent) were for Social Rent, an increase of 385 or 80 per cent on 483. The increase in Social Rent starts follows the upward trend seen over the last three years and is a reflection of the funding being focussed on intermediate tenures in the early years of the 2016-21 programme with the grant funding opening up to Affordable Rent and Social Rent in subsequent years. In addition, a further 5,259 (57 per cent) of affordable homes started with tenure to be confirmed, an increase of 1,879 or 56 per cent on 3,380. All ‘tenure to be confirmed starts’ originate from Strategic Partnerships where providers are not contractually required to identify the tenure of a unit until completion. The increase in this type of starts from 2019-20 corresponds directly to the overall increase in Strategic Partnership starts as the programme reached maturity in 2020-21. The tenure for these units will not be known until completion and they will be restated under their appropriate tenure in future releases.

3.4 Table 1b below shows the percentage of Homes England’s affordable housing starts on site delivered by each region ^{[footnote 14]} compared to the previous year ^{[footnote 15]}, ranked highest to lowest. A map showing the region boundaries is available at Annex 2.

3.3 Table 1b: Affordable Housing Starts on Site - Percentage Delivery by Region

	2021-22 Apr-Sep	2020-21 Apr-Sep
North West	21%	23%
South East	21%	19%
West Midlands	15%	13%
Yorkshire and The Humber	12%	8%
East Midlands	10%	8%
South West	8%	8%
East of England	8%	12%
North East	5%	8%

3.5 The number of market starts on site increased by 1,289 (48 per cent) to 3,974 compared to 2,685. The SLP produced nearly half of these at 1,949 or 49 per cent, the HBF – STF delivered 1,877 or 47 per cent and Local Authority Accelerated Construction (LAAC) delivered 148 or 4 per cent. The rise in market starts compared to the same period last year can be attributed to a less severe impact from the Covid-19 pandemic which necessitated the closure of most building sites at the beginning of the 2020-21 financial year.

3.4 Completions (excluding Help to Buy)

Table 2a: Housing completions by tenure, England (excluding Help to Buy and non-Homes England London delivery) [1], [2]

Year	Period	Affordable Rent	Social Rent	Intermediate Affordable Housing - Intermediate Rent	Intermediate Affordable Housing - Affordable Home Ownership	Total Affordable Housing Completions [5]	Market [6,7]	Total Housing Completions
2021-22	Apr - Sep	5,346	1,155	48	3,458	10,007	4,282	14,289
2020-21	Apr - Sep	4,315	711	31	3,055	8,112	3,923	12,035
2020-21	Oct - Mar	8,991	1,195	67	5,637	15,890	6,690	22,850
2020-21	Full Year	13,306	1,906	98	8,692	24,002	10,883	34,885
2019-20	Apr - Sep	6,405	562	27	3,362	10,356	4,593	14,949
2019-20	Oct - Mar	10,458	918	104	6,390	17,870	7,526	25,396
2019-20	Full Year	16,863	1,480	131	9,752	28,226	12,119	40,345
2018-19	Apr - Sep	7,912	326	3	2,824	11,065	4,752	15,817
2018-19	Oct - Mar	10,977	668	42	5,964	17,651	6,618	24,269
2018-19	Full Year	18,889	994	45	8,788	28,716	11,370	40,086
2017-18	Apr - Sep	7,219	174	0	1,900	9,293	2,723	12,016
2017-18	Oct - Mar	12,544	859	34	3,132	16,569	5,321	21,890
2017-18	Full Year	19,763	1,033	34	5,032	25,862	8,044	33,906
2016-17	Apr - Sep	7,096	218	1	1,338	8,653	2,957	11,610
2016-17	Oct - Mar	11,184	373	4	2,671	14,232	5,252	19,484
2016-17	Full Year	18,280	591	5	4,009	22,885	8,209	31,094
2015-16	Apr - Sep	4,681	684	0	1,032	6,397	3,082	9,479
2015-16	Oct - Mar	8,419	813	2	1,759	10,993	4,919	15,912
2015-16	Full Year	13,100	1,497	2	2,791	17,390	8,001	25,391
2014-15	Apr - Sep	7,447	865	0	2,141	10,453	3,682	14,135
2014-15	Oct - Mar	23,387	2,124	18	4,882	30,411	6,218	36,629
2014-15	Full Year	30,834	2,989	18	7,023	40,864	9,900	50,764

[1], [2], [5], [6] See footnotes below Table 1a

[7] Some of the market completions delivered since 2013-14 may include houses sold to purchasers who have received assistance through the Help to Buy scheme to buy a property at market value from a house builder where the scheme as a whole may have benefitted from funding through another programme. Help to Buy is reported by DLUHC (see www.gov.uk/government/collections/help-to-buy-equity-loan-and-newbuy-statistics)

Charts 2a and 2b on page 10 of the pdf could not be made fully accessible. Please contact enquiries@homesengland.gov.uk stating the name of this document if you need this information.

3.5 In the period 1 April to 30 September 2021 (with comparisons to the same period of 2020):

3.6 14,289 homes were completed, an increase of 2,254 or 19 per cent compared to 12,035. Excluding the first six months of 2020, levels of completions were the lowest since 2017-18 and, as with housing starts, this can be attributed to the ongoing effects that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on the housebuilding industry.

3.7 Of the homes completed in this period 10,007 (70 per cent) were affordable, an increase of 1,895 or 23 per cent compared to 8,112.

3.8 5,346 (53 per cent) of affordable completions were for Affordable Rent, an increase of 1,031 or 24 per cent compared to 4,315. Intermediate Affordable Housing accounted for a further 3,506 (35 per cent), an increase of 420 or 14 percent compared to 3,086. The remaining 1,155 (12 percent) of affordable homes completed were for Social Rent, an increase of 444 or 62 per cent compared to 711. The increase in Social Rent completions follows the upward trend seen over recent years and is a reflection of the funding being focussed on intermediate tenures in the early years of the 2016-21 programme with the grant funding opening up to Affordable Rent and Social Rent in subsequent years.

3.9 Table 2b below shows the percentage of Homes England’s affordable housing completions delivered by each regioncompared to the same period last year ^{[footnote 16]} , ranked highest to lowest.

3.6 Table 2b: Affordable Housing Completions - Percentage Delivery by Region

	2021-22 Apr-Sep	2020-21 Apr-Sep
South East	23%	24%
North West	18%	14%
East of England	14%	17%
West Midlands	14%	10%
South West	9%	11%
East Midlands	9%	9%
Yorkshire and The Humber	6%	9%
North East	6%	5%

3.10 4,282 market homes completed, an increase of 359 or 9 per cent compared to 3,923. Aside from the less severe impact from Covid-19 in this period, fluctuations in the number of market completions between periods reflects the nature of the programmes, with different types and sizes of sites commencing at different times and having varying build-out rates. Market completions were delivered by HBF - STF with 2,445 or 57 per cent, the SLP with 1,713 or 40 per cent and LAAC with 124 or 3 per cent.

Question 4

4. Accompanying tables

Accepted Answer

4.1 The tables accompanying this release are available to download from the housing statistics page on the Homes England section of GOV.UK ^{[footnote 17]} and include the following:

4.1 Table 1

Housing starts on site and completions by programme and tenure for:

1 April 2021 – 30 September 2021

1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 with half year analysis

1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020 with half year analysis

1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019 with half year analysis

1 April 2017 – 31 March 2018 with half year analysis

1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017 with half year analysis

1 April 2015 – 31 March 2016 with half year analysis

1 April 2014 – 31 March 2015 with half year analysis

1 April 2013 – 31 March 2014 with half year analysis

1 April 2012 – 31 March 2013 with half year analysis

1 April 2011 – 31 March 2012 with half year analysis

1 April 2010 – 31 March 2011 with half year analysis

1 April 2009 – 31 March 2010 with half year analysis

4.2 Table 2a

Housing starts on site and completions by local authority district and tenure (all programmes except Help to Buy), 1 April 2021 – 30 September 2021.

4.3 Table 2b

Housing starts on site and completions by local authority district and tenure (all programmes except Help to Buy), 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021.

4.4 Table 2c

Housing starts on site and completions by local authority district and tenure (all programmes except Help to Buy), 1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020.

4.5 Table 2d

Housing starts on site and completions by local authority district and tenure (all programmes except Help to Buy), 1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019.

4.2 Housing starts on site and completions by local authority district and tenure (all programmes except Help to Buy) for historical periods are available to download from the Homes England housing statistics web page ^{[footnote 18]}:.

4.3 In a small number of cases, Homes England funding to an affordable housing provider may be to support a person or family to be housed in a local authority that is different to the one in which they currently reside. The local authority presentations in Table 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d are based on the local authority district in which the house is located. These tables also identify the region in which each local authority is located.

4.4 We can provide programme level statistics for specified local authority areas in response to requests made to housing.statistics@homesengland.gov.uk.

Question 5

5. Revisions

Accepted Answer

5.1 Revisions policy

5.1 Homes England has adopted the revisions policy developed by DLUHC ^{[footnote 19]}: This policy covers two types of revisions.

5.2 Scheduled revisions

5.2 These statistics are drawn from funding and project administration systems and therefore updated information can be provided by funding recipients and developers after the official statistics have been extracted and compiled from these systems. This is particularly the case during the financial year and figures for the first six months of the year, as reported in the November/December release, are subject to scheduled revision in the release of financial year data in May/June. It is also possible for revisions to be made for earlier periods, although procedures are in place to minimise the scale of these.

5.3 As notified in our release of official statistics published on 11 June 2013, we will make scheduled revisions once a year in May/June. These revisions will cover the first six months of the full year being reported together with revisions for the previous two financial years. Data for earlier years will be regarded as final and there will be no further changes.

5.3 Non-scheduled revisions

5.4 If a substantial error occurs as a result of the production process, the statistical release and accompanying tables will be updated with a correction notice as soon as is practical.

5.5 If, as a result of new information, there are significant or noteworthy changes to the figures in years outside of the scheduled revisions period, that information will be revised in the May/June release together with scheduled revisions.

5.4 Revisions in this release

5.6 Following the publication of Homes England’s 2020-21 housing statistics in June an error in the 2018- 19 data for London came to light. As a result, figures for London in 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21 are being restated in this release.

Revisions for the financial year ending 31 March 2021 (2020-21), as published on 22 June 2021

5.7 The total housing completions figure for the Build to Rent programme has decreased by 81 units from 935 to 854. The decrease relates to a single scheme in which the same 81 market units had also been claimed by the GLA who take precedence for delivery in London.

5.8 The total housing completions figure for the HBF – STF has decreased by 29 units from 3,361 to 3,332. The net decrease relates to a reduction of 21 affordable (AHO) units and 9 market units on a scheme where the units had also been claimed by the GLA; and an increase of 1 market unit on a second scheme following the receipt of updated information from the developer.

Revisions for the financial year ending 31 March 2020 (2019-20), as published on 22 June 2021

5.9 The total housing starts figure for the HBF – STF has increased by 1 unit from 4,471 to 4,472. This increase relates to market units on a single scheme in which updated information was received from the developer.

Revisions for the financial year ending 31 March 2019 (2018-19), as published on 22 June 2021

5.10 The total housing starts figure for the HBF – STF has decreased by 121 units from 7,880 to 7,759. This decrease relates to a single scheme in which the same 112 affordable (AHO) and 9 market units had also been claimed by the GLA.

If you would like to comment on our revisions policy please contact Mike Shone by email at housing.statistics@homesengland.gov.uk.

Question 6

6. Definitions

Accepted Answer

6.1 Affordable housing

Affordable Housing is the sum of Affordable Rent, Social Rent, Intermediate Rent and Affordable Home Ownership (Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy). Affordable homes are defined in line with the National Planning Policy Framework ^{[footnote 20]}, published 27 March 2012 and updated 19 February 2019, as housing units (or traveller pitches and bed spaces when describing a shared dwelling such as a hostel) provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Eligibility may be determined with regard to local authority allocations policies, local incomes and local house prices depending on the type of affordable housing. Affordable housing should include provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision. The term ‘affordable housing’ is equivalent to ‘social housing’ as defined in Section 68 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 ^{[footnote 21]}.

6.2 Affordable rented housing

Affordable rented housing is a form of social housing, introduced in 2011. It may only be delivered with grant through the AHP 2011-15 and other associated and subsequent programmes or without grant by local authority and other providers, where a contract or confirmation of the ability to charge an Affordable Rent is in place. Affordable rented homes are let by local authorities or private registered providers of social housing to households who are eligible for social rented housing. Affordable Rent is subject to rent controls that require a rent of up to 80 per cent of the local market rent (including service charges, where applicable).

Social rented housing is rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and private registered providers, for which target rents are determined through the national rent regime. It may also include rented housing managed by other persons and provided under equivalent rental arrangements to the above.

6.4 Intermediate affordable housing

Intermediate affordable housing is housing at prices and rents above those of Social Rent but below market price or rents, and which meet the criteria as set out in the definition for affordable housing. These can include Shared Ownership, equity loan products, Rent to Buy and Intermediate Rent. Intermediate rented housing was eligible for funding under the now closed NAHP.

6.5 Equity loan scheme

Under an equity loan scheme for affordable housing, the majority of the cost (usually at least 70 per cent) is funded by the purchaser through a mortgage and savings (deposit). The remaining cost of the home is paid for by the government and the house builder through an equity loan. The property title is held by the home owner who can therefore sell their home at any time and upon sale should provide the government and the house builder the value of the same equity share of the property when it is sold. In the historical series covered by this release, equity loan was available under FirstBuy, Kickstart and the NAHP (HomeBuy Direct). There are a small number of equity loan cases in the current series.

6.6 Shared Ownership scheme

Under a Shared Ownership scheme for affordable housing, the purchaser pays for an initial share of between 25 per cent and 75 per cent of the home’s value with the option to increase their ownership if they later choose and can afford to do so. The provider owns the remaining share and rent is paid on the landlord’s share. The rent is up to 3 per cent of the share’s value. Shared ownership properties are always leasehold homes.

6.7 Rent to Buy scheme

Under the Rent to Buy scheme for affordable housing, homes are let at an Intermediate Rent to tenants who plan to buy in the future but need a period of lower rents to help them to save for a deposit. After an initial rental period (at least the first five years of the life of the property) the tenant has the option to buy outright the home they are living in. Grant funded Intermediate Rent has to be set at no more than 80 per cent of the market rate.

6.8 Market housing

Market housing is private housing (or bed spaces) for rent or for sale where the rental value or market price is set mainly in the open market.

6.9 Acquisitions (non-new build)

Acquisitions (non-new build) are additions to affordable or market housing supply that take place without building a new property. This can include the purchase of existing properties for use as affordable or market housing. It may also include empty properties brought back into use. These will normally be long term empty properties where rehabilitation works are required and which would not otherwise come back into use without intervention. Conversions of existing affordable or market properties are only included where there is substantial re-improvement works carried out to the fabric of the building (for example the conversion of bedsits to self-contained apartments). Repairs or simple refurbishment of properties are not included.

6.10 Housing starts on site

Housing starts on site are reported when the provider/developer and builder have entered into the house building contract, the building contractor has taken possession of the site and the start on site works have commenced. Starts on site are not applicable for Mortgage Rescue or for equity loan products delivered under FirstBuy.

6.11 Housing completions

Housing completions are reported when the units are fit for occupation or, in the case of Mortgage Rescue and equity loan products delivered under FirstBuy, the Kickstart Housing Delivery Programme, the AHP 2011-15 and the National Affordable Housing Programme, at the point of completion of the purchase.

6.12 Private registered providers

Private registered providers, under the terms of the 2008 Housing and Regeneration Act ^{[footnote 22]} are organisations which provide social housing, either in a for-profit or not-for-profit capacity, and who are registered on the Statutory Register of Providers of Social Housing maintained by Homes England. Most private registered providers are housing associations. The term excludes local authorities, who also provide social housing. Any private provider wishing to deliver Affordable Rent homes, who has not contracted with Homes England through a Grant Agreement, must contract with Homes England through a Short Form Agreement to deliver Affordable Rent without grant. The definition of private registered providers is not affected by the Office for National Statistics’ decision to classify them to the private sector for National Accounts and statistical purposes (16 November 2017) ^{[footnote 23]}

Question 7

7. Data sources and quality

Accepted Answer

7.1 Data for the following programmes have been produced using our Investment Management System (IMS), which contains information provided by investment partners in accordance with monitoring requirements for the payment of grant: Affordable Homes Guarantees, AHP, AHP 2015-18, Care and Support Specialised Housing, Empty Homes, Empty Homes Round Two, FirstBuy, Homelessness Change, Homelessness Change 2015-18, the Kickstart Housing Delivery Programme (HomeBuy Direct and National Affordable Housing Programme), the Local Authority New Build Programme, Mortgage Rescue, the National Affordable Housing Programme, Platform for Life, Rent to Buy, Right to Buy Replacement, Short Form Agreements, SOAHP 2016-21 and Traveller Pitch Funding.

7.2 Data for the following programmes have been produced using our Project Control System (PCS), which is maintained by our own staff based on the best information currently available: Accelerated Land Disposal, Build to Rent, Builders Finance Fund, Economic Assets, Get Britain Building, Kickstart Housing Delivery (Investment Support), Local Authority Accelerated Construction, Property and Regeneration, Single Land and the HBF – STF programmes.

Question 8

8. Related statistics

Accepted Answer

8.1 Affordable housing starts on site and completions funded by Homes England and the GLA

8.1 Since April 2012, the Mayor of London has had oversight of strategic housing, regeneration and economic development in London. This means that Homes England no longer publishes affordable housing starts on site and completions for London, except for delivery in London under the Builders Finance Fund (now called the Home Building Fund – Short Term Fund) and Get Britain Building programmes which are administered by Homes England on behalf of the GLA. Responsibility for publication of other London delivery has been taken over by the GLA. In addition to its annual release, DLUHC combines half-year data from Homes England and the GLA to publish six monthly affordable housing starts on site and completions delivered nationally under the affordable housing programmes of Homes England and the GLA.

8.2 The combined statistics published by DLUHC are available from the DLUHC website ^{[footnote 24]} and housing statistics published by the GLA are available from the GLA website ^{[footnote 25]}. DLUHC has combined the affordable housing statistics in this release with the GLA’s affordable housing statistics to produce Table 1012 showing total affordable housing starts on site and completions delivered nationally under the affordable housing programmes of Homes England and the GLA ^{[footnote 26]}.

8.3 Delivery of affordable homes forms part of the DLUHC business plan. Homes England is responsible for the administration of the programmes that deliver affordable housing (as described in section 2) and report on progress in their annual report ^{[footnote 27]}.

8.2 Affordable housing supply

8.4 The annual Affordable Housing Supply release published by DLUHC (see paragraph 2.2), includes delivery of affordable housing, but not market housing. Starts information was only available from data provided by Homes England and the GLA in 2015-16. For 2016-17 data on starts was also collected from local authorities. However, the submission of starts data by local authorities is voluntary as some of them may be unable to provide figures. This means that starts funded directly by local authorities or by planning agreements that are not included in the Homes England or GLA statistics were not included in 2015-16 data and may be under reported in subsequent publications. Delivery through Homes England (and the GLA) accounts for the majority of Affordable Housing Supply, but the scope of the statistics reported by DLUHC is wider. It also includes delivery through other Homes England and GLA programmes not reported here as well as affordable housing not covered by Homes England and GLA programmes that is reported in local authority returns to the Ministry. The DLUHC publication provides less detail about the individual Homes England programmes and focuses more on the properties of the units delivered, such as tenure and whether they are new build or acquisitions. The ‘Data sources’ section of the DLUHC release provides more information about the coverage of the release ^{[footnote 28]}.

8.3 Help to Buy

8.5 The Help to Buy (Equity Loan scheme) release published by DLUHC details the number of home purchases and the value of equity loans under the Government’s Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme. Homes England is responsible for all Help to Buy (Equity Loan scheme) delivery including London. The number of home purchases delivered through Homes England is published by DLUHC together with information about the type and price of properties purchased, purchaser deposits and applicant incomes ^{[footnote 29]}.

Question 9

9. Other information

Accepted Answer

9.1 Pre-release access

9.1 Details of officials who receive pre-release access to the release up to 24 hours before publication are available from the housing statistics page on the Homes England section of GOV.UK ^{[footnote 30]}.

9.2 A brief history of Homes England

9.2 Homes England was launched by the Secretary of State on 11 January 2018. Homes England is the trading name of Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) (the legal entity). The HCA was created on 1 December 2008 by bringing together the regeneration body English Partnerships (including the Property and Regeneration programme), the investment arm of the Housing Corporation (including the National Affordable Housing Programme), the Academy for Sustainable Communities and a number of housing and regeneration programmes from the MHCLG. In October 2011, the HCA took responsibility for the land and property assets of eight of England’s nine Regional Development Agencies, ahead of their operational closure in March 2012. On 1 April 2012, the HCA’s former London operating area transferred to the GLA.

9.3 United Kingdom Statistics Authority

9.3 The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Designation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics:

meet identified user needs
are well explained and readily accessible
are produced according to sound methods
are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest

Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is a statutory requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed.

9.4 Future publication dates

9.4 Our official statistics for the period 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 will be published in May/June 2022.

9.5 Responsible statistician

9.5 The responsible statistician for this statistical release is Mike Shone.

Question 10

10. User consultation

Accepted Answer

10.1 Users’ comments on any issues relating to this statistical release are welcomed and encouraged. Responses should be sent to the “Statistical Enquiries” address given below.

10.1 Enquiries

Media Enquiries

Email: media@homesengland.gov.uk

Tel: 020 7874 8262

Statistical Enquiries

Mike Shone (c/o)

Email: housing.statistics@homesengland.gov.uk

Tel: 01234 242537

Question 11

11. Annexe 1

Accepted Answer

11.1 Homes England’s programmes

The following table and links provide information about Homes England’s programmes which are funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government except for Care and Support Specialised Housing, Homelessness Change 2015-18 and Platform for Life which are funded by the Department of Health.

Programme	Programme Summary	Tenure [1]	Build Type [2]
Accelerated Land Disposal	The Accelerated Land Disposal programme was announced in the Budget 2011 to support the additional or accelerated delivery of 3,000 housing starts on site by 31 March 2015. With effect from 1 April 2015, existing commitments transferred to the Single Land Programme.	Social Rent / AHO / Market	NB
Affordable Homes Guarantees	On 6 September 2012, the Government announced its proposal to guarantee up to £10bn of debt to help housing providers expand the provision of both purpose built private rented and affordable housing. As well as the Guarantee for the Affordable Homes element, the Government confirmed that it would make £225m of funding available for new affordable housing, for use where needed alongside the Affordable Homes Guarantee. This funding was then doubled in the 2013 Budget to £450m, including London, to support up to 30,000 new affordable homes.	Aff. Rent / Social Rent / AHO	NB/A
Affordable Homes Programme [3]	The Affordable Homes Programme was announced as part of the Government’s Spending Review 2010 and delivered over 58,000 (excluding London) new affordable homes by 31 March 2015, with rents set at up to 80 per cent of market rent	Aff. Rent / Social Rent / AHO	NB/A
Affordable Homes Programme 2015-18	The Affordable Homes Programme 2015-18 replaced the Affordable Homes Programme 2011-15 and aims to increase the supply of new affordable homes in England by March 2018. It is now closed although commitments agreed under this programme will be delivered during the 2016-21 period.	Aff. Rent / Social Rent / AHO (Shared Ownership)	NB/A
Build to Rent	The Build to Rent Fund was launched in December 2012 in response to the recommendations of the Montague report to stimulate new private rented housing supply and to provide opportunities for new institutional investment in the sector. It will support the delivery of up to 10,000 new homes.	Market	NB
Builders Finance Fund	The £525 million Builders Finance Fund is designed to help restart and speed up housing developments between 5 and 250 units that have slowed down or stalled. Its main objective is to address difficulties in accessing development finance faced by some house builders, particularly smaller developers, and to help bring forward stalled but viable sites. With effect from October 2016, existing commitments transferred to the Home Building fund – Short Term Fund.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO / Marke	NB/A
Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund	The Department of Health’s Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund (CASSH) provides funding for housing for older people and adults with disabilities (physical or sensory disabilities, mental health needs and learning disabilities & autism). The fund is spilt into two phases. Phase 1 was launched in October 2012 and phase 2 was launched in February 2015. The initial budget for the programme was £160m over five years (2013-14 to 2017-18) outside London. In 2013, this was increased by a further £80m and the delivery time frame extended to 2020-21.	Aff. Rent / Social Rent / AHO (Shared Ownership)	NB/A
Economic Assets	The Economic Assets programme was announced in the Budget 2011 and worked with partners to ensure the effective use and disposal of more than 300 land and property assets transferred from the former Regional Development Agencies. With effect from 1 April 2015, existing commitments transferred to the Single Land Programme.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO / Market	NB/A
Empty Homes [3]	The Empty Homes programme was announced as part of the Government’s Spending Review 2010 to bring back into use empty residential properties (in private ownership) as affordable housing. The programme delivered 2,759 homes by 30 September 2016 outside London.	Aff. Rent / Social Rent / AHO	A
Empty Homes Round Two	In November 2012 a second round of funding was launched to bring back into use empty properties as affordable housing. As well as residential properties (in private ownership), the programme had an emphasis on the refurbishment of empty commercial and nonresidential properties. The programme delivered 868 homes by 31 March 2017 outside London.	Aff. Rent / Social Rent / AHO	A
FirstBuy	The FirstBuy scheme was announced in the Budget 2011 to help support 10,000 first time buyers on the property ladder. The scheme was expanded in September 2012 and from 1 April 2013 was replaced with Help to Buy	AHO	NB
Get Britain Building	The Get Britain Building programme was set up to unlock more than 12,000 homes on stalled sites with planning permission through access to development finance.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO / Market	NB
Help to Buy (equity loan)	Help to Buy was announced in the Budget 2013 to help purchasers struggling to buy a new build home. It offers a maximum 20% (40% in London) equity loan (minimum 10%) on new build properties up to a maximum purchase price of £600,000. Launched in April 2013 with an initial budget of £3.7bn, the programme aspired to support 74,000 plus homebuyers in the first 3 years. The 2015 Spending Review confirmed £8.6bn of funding and extended the programme to 2021 to assist an anticipated 145,000 purchases. In October 2017, the Government announced it will invest a further £10 billion in the Help to Buy Equity Loan programme. More than 130,000 completions have already taken place by people using the equity loan, which helps people buy a new build home with only a 5% deposit. The new funding means that the Help to Buy Equity Loan could help around 135,000 more people to buy homes by 2021. This would bring the total number of households across England that would be supported through the scheme since it began in 2013 to around 360,000.	Market	NB
Homelessness Change [3]	The Homelessness Change Programme was announced as part of the Government’s Spending Review 2010 and delivered 1,128 new or refurbished bed spaces in hostel accommodation by 31 March 2015 (outside London).	Aff. Rent	NB/A
Homelessness Change 2015-18	Homes England is allocating a share of up to £25 million capital funding for specialist housing providers, on behalf of the Department of Health, to bring forward proposals for developing and improving hostel accommodation and facilities for the delivery of healthcare, training or education aimed at supporting rough sleepers, those at risk of sleeping rough, and other non-statutory homeless people of specialist housing to meet the needs of older people and adults with disabilities or mental health problems outside of London. This programme was launched jointly alongside the Platform for Life fund in March 2015.	Aff. Rent	NB/A
Kickstart Housing Delivery	The Kickstart Housing Delivery programme was part of the 2009 Housing Stimulus Programme investing in restarting more than 20,000 homes on stalled sites. The programme closed on 31 March 2013.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO / Market	NB
Local Authority Accelerated Construction	Through our new Accelerated Construction programme we want to provide a tailored package of support to ambitious local authorities who would like to develop out surplus land holdings at pace. There is no single approach to accelerated construction that we expect to support. Our intention is to support a range of proposals at different scales and in locations where there is sufficient demand for housing.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO / Market	NB
Local Authority New Build	The Local Authority New Build programme was set up to deliver 4,000 homes for rent by 31 March 2012.	Social Rent	NB
Mortgage Rescue [3]	The Mortgage Rescue scheme was announced as part of the Government’s Spending Review 2010 to provide support to some 2,500 vulnerable home owners struggling to maintain mortgage payments and at risk of repossession. This scheme is now closed.	AHO / Int. Rent	NB/A
National Affordable Housing Programme	The National Affordable Housing Programme is the predecessor to the AHP 2011-15.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO	NB/A
Platform for Life	Homes England is allocating a share of up to £25 million capital funding for specialist housing providers, on behalf of the Department of Health, to bring forward proposals for developing low-rent accommodation for young people aged 18 to 24 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and are in housing need, to support their participation in work, further education or vocational training, with the aim of assisting residents into long term employment and independence, and improving their prospects for a successful and healthy life. This programme was launched jointly alongside the Homelessness Change 2015 to 2017 fund in March 2015.	Aff. Rent	NB/A
Property and Regeneration Programme	The Property and Regeneration programme covered all the historical property and regeneration investments and assets inherited from English Partnerships. With effect from 1 April 2015, existing commitments transferred to the Single Land Programme.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO / Market	NB/A
Rent to Buy	The Rent to Buy Loan 2015-17 provided loans at a low, fixed rate to registered providers to deliver homes outside London. The homes will be let at a sub-market rent for at least 7 years with the intention of supporting working households to save money and achieve their aspiration of home ownership. This programme is now closed	AHO	NB
Right to Buy Replacement	With effect from 2 April 2012, every additional local authority home sold under Right to Buy will be replaced by a new home for affordable rent, with receipts from sales recycled towards the cost of replacement. Where a local authority decides not to undertake the development themselves, they return the relevant portion of the receipts to MHCLG for reinvestment nationally.	Aff. Rent	NB
Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21	This programme aims to increase the supply of Shared Ownership and other affordable homes in England by March 2021.	Aff. Rent / Social Rent / AHO (Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy)	NB/A
Short Form Agreement [3]	A Short Form Agreement (SFA) is used by Homes England to contract with providers who wish to deliver Affordable Rent units without Homes England funding.	Aff. Rent	NB/A
Single Land Programme	The Single Land Programme, with effect from 1 April 2015, consists of existing commitments taken from the amalgamation of historical Homes England land programmes (Accelerated Land Disposal, Economic Assets and Property and Regeneration) and transferred sites from across Government under the Public Sector Land Transfer model. It is a selffinancing programme funded through the recycling of receipts supporting Government’s targets on housing (including starter homes), public sector land release and asset disposals.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO / Market	NB/A
The Home Building Fund - Short Term Fund	The Home Building Fund is government finance to increase the number of new homes being built in England. Applications are being accepted from private sector businesses to build new homes or prepare sites for development.	Social Rent / Int. Rent / AHO / Market	NB/A
Traveller Pitch Funding [3]	The Traveller Pitch Funding programme was announced as part of the Government’s Spending Review 2010 and delivered 515 new traveller pitches by 31 March 2015 (outside London). In addition, 386 refurbished pitches were delivered.	Aff. Rent / AHO	NB/A

[1] Tenure indicates whether units delivered under each programme are allocated to Affordable Rent (Aff. Rent), Social Rent (Social Rent), Intermediate Rent (Int. Rent), Affordable Home Ownership (AHO), including Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy, or Open Market (Market).

[2] New supply is either a new build (NB) or an acquisition (A) from existing non-affordable stock. Grant under some programmes can be used to deliver either newly built units or to fund acquisitions.

[3] The programme was part of the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) 2011-15. The majority of delivery through the AHP 2011-15 and other associated programmes was made available as Affordable Rent with some Affordable Home Ownership and, in some limited circumstances, Social Rent. Intermediate Rent was not delivered by the AHP 2011-15 unless it was through Mortgage Rescue or pre-existing commitments from the National Affordable Housing Programme.

Question 12

12. Contact

Accepted Answer

enquiries@homesengland.gov.uk

0300 1234 500

gov.uk/homes-england

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