Housing bodies welcome social homes target in Northern Ireland, but warn investment is needed

Nicola McCrudden, chief executive of Homeless Connect, said that with homelessness levels continuing to rise, the charity “very much welcomes” the priority given to housing in the PfG, “which recognises the importance social and affordable housing has in creating stable and healthy communities”. 

“The inclusion of social housing targets provides accountability and will be something which we, and others, will closely monitor,” she added. 

However, Ms McCrudden said the challenge now is “to make it happen”, which will “require commitment across government departments to the investment needed and to collaborative working alongside partners in the statutory, private and third sectors”.

The Northern Ireland Executive launched the PfG, called ‘Doing what matters most’, following approval by the assembly last week. 

It sets out the government’s immediate nine priorities. For the first time, housing – providing more social, affordable and sustainable homes – was included on the list. 

Other priorities in the programme include: 

• Growing the economy
• Childcare and early learning
• Cutting health waiting times
• Ending violence against women and girls
• Support for children and young people with special educational needs
• Safer communities
• Protecting Lough Neagh and the environment
• Reforming public services

On housing, the PfG stated that work should be started on at least 5,850 new build social homes in Northern Ireland by 2027.

This year, the executive pledged to deliver 847 shared ownership homes and launch the £10m Loan to Acquire Move-on Accommodation fund to help homelessness charities purchase properties as a route into housing for people who cannot afford access to permanent social housing or private rented accommodation. 

It also aims to complete a public consultation and publish an executive agreed fuel poverty strategy.

The executive will focus on partnership working to “unlock the combined skills and resources of government, the private and third sectors” to “transform supply and improve quality across the whole housing system”. 

It pledged to ensure that the planning system “supports the delivery of the appropriate supply” of homes and to work with Northern Ireland Water to help “facilitate housing growth”. 

The executive has also agreed a Northern Ireland Housing Supply Strategy, which “provides a long-term framework for the policies and actions required to increase the supply of homes across all tenures and reduce housing stress”. 

“We are seeking Treasury agreement for appropriate treatment of borrowing to enable the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to increase investment in its homes, improve energy efficiency, and contribute to new supply,” according to the PfG. 

The government will focus on preventing homelessness, “prioritising housing solutions for those most in need and developing innovative funding models with third-sector partners to purchase homes”.

NIFHA welcomed the inclusion of a social housing new build target, but questioned what steps will be taken on challenges for housing, such as planning and water infrastructure.

Inside Housing reported that thousands of social homes are being held up by the lack of wastewater infrastructure in Northern Ireland. 

However, Mr Leheny said that having a “clear target” for the number of new social homes to be built over the coming years is a “positive step forward”. 

He explained: “As the housing waiting list continues to grow, housing associations have been pressing for a more ambitious housebuilding programme, and we welcome the NI Executive’s commitment to increasing and improving social housing across Northern Ireland.

“The next step will see housing associations engaging with the Department for Communities to see how we can work together to move from a PfG aspiration to a delivery programme that will ensure we can meet housing need.”

Mark Baillie, head of policy and programmes at Homeless Connect, said: “This society is in a situation where just under 31,000 households, including almost 60,000 individuals, have homelessness status on the social housing waiting list. 

“The inclusion of a specific target of starting over 5,850 new social homes by 2027 is welcome. However, for the target to be met, significant and consistent investment will be required.”

He referred to the initial capital budget allocation, which “means less than a thousand social housing new starts will be possible in 2025-26”.

He added: “The final Budget allocation for the coming year provided to the Department for Communities must include the investment needed to ensure these new homes can be started. We welcome the commitment made in the final programme to preventing homelessness.

“Prevention is better than cure, and legislative change will be needed to introduce a legal duty for statutory providers and housing associations to help prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.”

Declan McKillop, head of operations at Homeless Connect, said that “while some changes” were made to the PfG when it comes to responding to poverty, “the final programme remains vague on what the executive will do in this area”. 

“While there is reference to an anti-poverty strategy, it is not clear what funding will be available to implement it,” he added. 

Justin Cartwright, national director of the Chartered Institute of Housing Northern Ireland, said the body is “very encouraged” to see housing “rightfully positioned” as a priority in the PfG. 

“This reflects years of advocacy and collaboration among the housing sector, officials and representatives. 

“The commitment to starting 5,850 new social homes is a vital step towards addressing the pressing needs of over 48,000 households on the waiting list,” Mr Cartwright.

He added: “We recognise the challenges ahead, including water infrastructure capacity, and are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of these targets.”

Mark Graham, chief executive of Co-Ownership, a provider of shared ownership homes, welcomed the PfG acknowledging that “good housing is essential”.

“The current plan does acknowledge that if government, private and third sectors work collectively, we can address some of these short-term issues and challenges. 

“In terms of clear solutions, it positions the growing importance of shared ownership as an effective solution for Northern Ireland, with Co-Ownership set to deliver at least 847 homes for people this year and at least another 1,900 by the end of the mandate in March 2027,” he said. 

Mr Graham said he was “particularly pleased” to see commitment made to “address the planning system’s current weaknesses” and welcomed the priority given to housing, together with the supply strategy. 

Deputy first minister Emma Little-Pengelly said that for the PfG to succeed, “we need to ensure that we are relentlessly focused on delivery”. 

“That is why we are establishing a delivery unit in the executive office to augment the work of departments, and why we are establishing an AI unit to embrace new technology that can help us improve efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector,” she explained.