Can Andy Burnham solve the UK's housing crisis?

The United Kingdom grapples with a severe housing crisis, leaving millions struggling with unaffordable rents, lengthy waits for social housing, and an inability to enter the property market. Last year, the average house price in England stood at £300,000, nearly eight times the average earnings, highlighting a significant affordability gap.

Labour's commitment to construct 1.5 million new homes during the current parliamentary term is already facing challenges, with the government falling behind its ambitious target. The party has pledged £39 billion over 10 years to build 300,000 "social and affordable houses," aiming to revitalize council house construction. However, this figure averages only 30,000 homes annually, with most expected to be built by housing associations using government grants.

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the UK is in the grip of a "housing crisis" and he wants to deliver "the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period"

Council house construction has plummeted since the 1980s, exacerbated by the "right-to-buy" policy that reduced local authority stock. In the 1950s, councils built nearly 200,000 homes per year, a stark contrast to the mere 1,970 built in 2025. Many councils no longer own or build homes directly.

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is seen by some as a potential solution, having overseen a building boom in his region. However, critics point to persistent housing problems within Greater Manchester. Burnham has spoken of delivering "the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period," but has yet to detail how this will be achieved. If his plans involve councils directly building tens of thousands of homes annually, it would necessitate substantial budget increases and the rebuilding of internal planning and management teams, as many councils have not built homes for decades. If "council housing" includes new social housing built by associations, the target might be more attainable.

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reinvigorate council housebuilding