The Prime Minister has pledged that 1,000 new social and affordable homes will be delivered in Luton and Bedfordshire after a Luton MP called for a major acceleration in council housebuilding during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Luton South MP Rachel Hopkins used the session to press the government on the need to increase the pace of social housing delivery, saying access to council homes remains the biggest issue raised by constituents.
She told MPs that while councils had delivered the highest annual number of social and affordable homes since the early 1990s in 2024-25, more action was needed to meet demand.
She said: “A good, safe and secure home is the foundation of everything, and access to a council home at social rent continues to be the biggest issue that my constituents get in touch with me about.
“However, under this Labour Government in 2024-25, councils delivered the highest annual number of social and affordable homes since 1991-92. Does the Prime Minister agree that we must build on this achievement and accelerate progress on council house building to ensure we deliver the biggest council housing programme since the post-war era?”
In response, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government was backing a major expansion of social housing, supported by £39billion in funding nationwide, and confirmed local delivery figures for Bedfordshire.
He told the Commons: “I am proud that this Government are delivering the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation. That is backed by £39 billion, and it means we are unleashing the biggest surge in council house building in more than 30 years.
“That includes a thousand new social and affordable homes in Luton and Bedfordshire. Our Social Housing Bill will reform right to buy to deliver even more social houses.”
The pledge comes as the government prepares to bring forward its Social Housing Bill, which is expected to include reforms to the Right to Buy scheme aimed at slowing the loss of council homes and supporting councils to replace and expand stock.
However, while the Prime Minister gave a specific figure for Luton and Bedfordshire, the government has not yet published a detailed breakdown showing where the 1,000 homes will be built, over what timeframe, or how they are split between local authority areas.
Housing remains one of the most pressing issues in Luton, with long waiting lists for social housing and rising demand for affordable rented homes continuing to put pressure on council supply.
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