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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to reduce social housing waiting lists.

Local authorities have freedom to set their own criteria determining who qualifies for social housing in their district, and how this is delivered. In doing so, they must ensure that reasonable preference (overall priority) for social housing is given to certain categories of people in housing need, including homeless households, people living in overcrowded housing, and those who have medical and welfare needs.

We are investing in new affordable homes. Our new £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme will provide up to 180,000 new homes across the country, should economic conditions allow. This builds upon the success of our £9 billion Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme, running to 2023, which will deliver approximately 250,000 new affordable homes.

To further support local authorities to deliver new homes, we have given them more freedom on how they can spend the money they receive from Right to Buy sales on replacement homes. This, combined with the removal of the Housing Revenue Account borrowing cap in 2018 and continued access to low cost borrowing via the Public Works Loan Board, gives local authorities greater flexibility to invest in new homes.