Homes England launches the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme campaign

 Monday, November 10, 2025

Homes England has launched a notable engagement campaign to inform the housing sector about the upcoming Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) 2026-2036, a ten-year initiative representing the largest single investment in social and affordable housing in a generation. With applications for grant funding expected to open in February 2026, the new programme is poised to significantly shape the UK’s housing landscape outside of London for the next decade.

The scale of the investment is immense, with Homes England tasked with managing at least £27.2 billion of government funding. This capital is the core component of the government’s broader commitment to delivering 1.5 million homes during the current parliament. By providing long-term certainty, the SAHP is designed to give developers, housing associations, and local authorities the confidence to plan, invest, and build at scale.

Core objectives

The SAHP 2026-2036 is strategically focused on addressing the most pressing housing needs. Its headline goal is a significant rebalancing of tenure mix in new builds:

• Social rent focus: The programme aims to ensure that three in every five new homes (at least 60%) delivered are specifically for Social Rent. This emphasis prioritises the most affordable tenure, crucial for alleviating pressure on waiting lists and tackling homelessness.
• Targeted housing: The fund is structured to support an increased supply of homes for specific demographics, including specialist and supported housing for older, disabled, and vulnerable people. It will also bolster community-led and rural housing initiatives.
• Council housebuilding: A key objective is to increase council housebuilding, both directly by local authorities and in partnership with other registered providers, helping to restore the delivery capacity of local government.

Homes England Chair, Pat Ritchie CBE, highlighted the strategic intent: “We have designed the new programme to support local leaders to meet the affordable and social housing needs of the people they serve, and to give long-term confidence to the housing sector to invest and achieve such vital ambitions through collaboration and partnership.” The inclusion of £2 billion in bridge funding is designed to maintain delivery momentum as the current 2021-2026 programme transitions into the new ten-year cycle.

A central pillar of the new SAHP is an intensified focus on local strategic direction. Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities will gain a stronger mandate to set the strategic priorities in their areas. This includes shaping the desired tenure mix and identifying priority sites for social and affordable housing development, reflecting Homes England’s commitment to working “hand-in-glove” with local leaders.

The programme offers grant opportunities to a wide spectrum of eligible stakeholders, including registered housing providers (not-for-profit and for-profit), local authorities, house-builders, developers, charities, and community groups.

Bidders can access the funding through two main application routes, mirroring the structure of the previous programme:

1. Continuous Market Engagement (CME) Route:
   • This route is designed for partners delivering on specific site or sites.
   • It allows for flexibility, particularly suiting smaller or medium-sized partners and local authorities with single-scheme or short-term development plans. Bids can be submitted on an ongoing, scheme-by-scheme basis.
2. Strategic Partnership (SP) Route:
   • This route is for partners with the ambition, capability, and track record to deliver a set amount of homes over a set time period (the 10-year term).
   • It offers greater long-term certainty and flexibility, allowing large-scale providers to commit to substantial pipelines. Minimum delivery targets vary based on the type of partnership (e.g., Local Authority SPs often have lower minimum targets than Developer Delivery SPs).

A significant technical upgrade will support the launch, with a new digital system being introduced to streamline the application and grant management processes, enhancing efficiency for all delivery partners.

The release of guidance information is part of a deliberate, pre-launch engagement strategy to ensure the sector is prepared for the official opening of the application window. The launch of the programme is subject to the completion of relevant Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) processes, with the first grants tentatively scheduled for release in April 2026.

Shahi Islam, Homes England Affordable Housing Director, stressed the importance of early engagement: “Our aim is for at least three in every five affordable homes funded through this programme to be for Social Rent… We are building on what works. Many programme requirements will mirror the current 2021–2026 Affordable Homes Programme, helping maintain delivery momentum and minimise disruption.”

The SAHP’s structure provides stability by confirming grant certainty over a decade, enabling partners to secure financing and plan large-scale pipelines confidently. For the housing industry, the next few months will be crucial for reviewing the detailed guidance, refining development pipelines, and engaging with Homes England to ensure their proposals align with the new priorities, particularly the strong focus on Social Rent, council-led projects, and supported housing. The programme’s success hinges on a robust partnership between central government funding, local political direction, and committed delivery partners across England.

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Tags: Affordable Housing Investment, Homes England Funding, Local Authority Housing, Social Affordable Homes Programme, Social Rent Homes, UK housing crisis