More than 100 local authority leaders will today warn that England’s council housing system is broken and call for an urgent £644m one-off cash injection to support it.
A new report, which will be launched today at an event in Westminster, warns an ‘unsustainable financial model’ and ‘erratic’ policy changes have left councils facing the prospect of a £2.2bn ‘black hole’ by 2028.
The report, titled Securing the Future of Council Housing, warns that without urgent action most council landlords will struggle to maintain their existing homes adequately or meet new demands to improve them.
The report calls for a fair and sustainable Housing Revenue Account (HRA) model and a £644m cash boost.
It also calls for reforms to ‘unsustainable’ Right to Buy policies, an end to funding red tape, the creation of a long-term Green & Decent Homes Programme, and urgent action to restart stalled building projects.