England’s affordable housing scheme falls 32,000 homes short of target

MPs highlight big shortfalls in rural areas and warn that programme risks falling even further behind

A 21bn government programme to build more affordable housing in England is missing its target by 32,000 homes with big shortfalls in rural areas, MPs have said.

The affordable homes programme also risks falling further behind because Michael Gove's Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities does not seem to have a grasp" of risks ahead including soaring construction inflation, according to the public accounts committee. A new below-inflation cap on social rent increases could also limit new building, it says.