Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of Centrepoint’s call to build 40,000 one-bedroom homes per year to address record levels of youth homelessness.

Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out how we will tackle the root causes of homelessness, including by building 1.5 million homes, including a generational increase in new social and affordable homes backed by £39 billion investment through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The new programme is designed to be flexible to support the greater diversity of supply needed, and we are asking providers to come forward with ambitious bids that reflect this diversity.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local authorities should assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those who require affordable housing (including Social Rent), and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government is consulting on changes to the Framework, including proposals relating to the delivery of social rent and affordable homes. The consultation document is available here and will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026.