Wiltshire Council calls for more funding to tackle social housing crisis
Concerns raised about funding gaps affecting the development of social housing
Wiltshire Council is calling on the government to provide additional funding to address what it describes as a significant gap in social housing provision.
Councillor Adrian Foster, cabinet member for strategic planning, development, and housing at the council, has written to, Matthew Pennycook MP, the Minister for Housing and Planning outlining the challenges faced in delivering and maintaining social housing.
Cllr Foster highlighted how reductions in income for regulated providers, rising maintenance costs, and changes to government policies have left councils and housing associations struggling to build or purchase new social housing.
Challenges with social housing funding
Foster explained that previous government decisions to reduce rents for social housing by 1% annually for four years limited the funds available to regulated providers.
While this was aimed at lowering housing benefit payments, it created barriers to proper property maintenance. The rising cost of materials has further strained budgets.
Despite changes in government policy, such as guarantees to increase rents by CPI plus 1% for the next 10 years, the income generated is largely consumed by existing financial obligations and maintenance costs.
This leaves little room to create new housing or bolster social housing stock through developer-led projects, Foster said.
The need for ‘social housing’
Foster pointed out the difference between affordable housing, which costs 80% of market rates, and social housing, with rates closer to 50–55% of market prices.
He noted that only social housing options are affordable for many individuals who rely on universal credit or other benefits.
He praised government initiatives under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which prioritise delivering rented housing provision through social housing rather than affordable housing models.
However, he explained that councils are unable to take full advantage of these policies without adequate funding.
Urgent demand in Wiltshire
Wiltshire Council has 1,750 existing social housing properties that fall below the required EPC grade C energy efficiency standard, Foster confirmed. While the council must upgrade these homes to meet regulatory standards, this task has consumed funding initially earmarked for new housing developments.
There are currently 4,500 people on Wiltshire’s waiting list for social housing.
Cllr Foster raised concerns about overcrowding and families forced into precarious living situations, such as sofa surfing. According to him, better funding for social housing could transform lives and benefit the wider community by improving living conditions, boosting health, and increasing disposable income for tenants.
Cllr Foster concluded by urging the government to provide sufficient monetary support to help councils and housing providers tackle the crisis, while utilising the policies already introduced.
"This is a critical issue," he said. "We need to ensure regulated providers can access the funds required to deliver much-needed social housing and improve the welfare of those most in need."
We've contacted the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government for comment.