Daily Politics from the New Statesman Steve Reed's £7bn affordable housing fund | Exclusive interview
Nov 7, 2025
In an exclusive interview, Steve Reed, the British Housing Secretary, discusses a groundbreaking £7bn allocation aimed at creating social and affordable homes across six mayoral combined authorities. He highlights the severe challenges younger people face in homeownership and the need for council housing reform. Reed also addresses plans to abolish Section 21 evictions and urges for more social housing to alleviate pressure on private rents. He emphasizes the importance of tenant empowerment and local governance in improving housing conditions.
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Housing Shortage Harms Families And Kids
- Homelessness outcomes worsened under the previous government, with rough sleeping and long stays in temporary accommodation both doubling.
- Reed emphasises the damaging effects on children and family life from prolonged temporary housing.
Prioritise Building Homes To Restore Affordability
- Build more homes at every level to restore affordability and allow younger people to form independent households.
- Reed frames increased supply as the core solution to high housing costs and stalled homeownership.
Housing Crisis Undermines Political Trust
- The housing crisis fuels political distrust and drives people toward extremes.
- Reed connects blocked housing aspirations for younger generations to declining faith in democratic systems.