Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to help ensure that key worker housing is available for (a) NHS and (b) social care workers.

We have regular discussions with NHS England on key worker accommodation. It is for local organisations to determine the best use of National Health Service estate, including surplus land. Key worker accommodation may be able to help maximise the effectiveness of the current estate and we are currently working with NHS England to test delivery models. NHS staff also have access to the national ‘First Homes’ scheme, established in 2021, that enables key workers to purchase homes at a discount to the market value on new housing sites, paid for out of developer contributions.