Wealden District Council welcomes transformative £39 billion government funding towards social housing
Publish Date: 22 July 2025
The government announcement that £39 billion is being allocated for new affordable homes, alongside long-term guarantees on rents that provide much-needed certainty for both residents and councils, has been welcomed by Wealden District Council.
The move was announced from the Chancellor’s Spending Review, which took place last month outlined government’s spending plans for the next few years.
The funding allocated aligns directly with key recommendations from the Secure the Future of Council Housing campaign, a coalition of 112 councils including Wealden District Council, to save council housing.
The National Housing Federation has described the funding and rent settlement as a “transformational package for social housing” and “the most ambitious” affordable homes building programme in decades. The Chartered Institute of Housing said the announcement was “nearly double” the annual funding of the previous programme and that it could help “thousands of families without a safe and secure home”.
The significant funding package will empower councils across the country to lift thousands more families out of homelessness and overcrowding, while providing the financial certainty needed to improve the standards and energy efficiency of existing council homes. The announcement marks a pivotal moment for local authorities working together to address a crisis that has persisted for decades.
Councillor Daniel Manvell, Alliance for Wealden (Labour Party) and lead councillor for Housing, Benefits and Revenues, said, “I really welcome this transformative investment, which will enable us to build more genuinely affordable homes, and provides the stability we needed to improve the quality of existing housing for our communities.
“We regularly hear from our residents that they want to see more affordable homes being built for their children and grandchildren. I am delighted that the government is funding the priorities of our residents and agrees with the collective voice of 112 councils delivering safe, secure, and affordable homes. This funding is a crucial step forward in tackling the housing challenges our residents face and to create a greener, fairer, and kinder place for everyone to live.”