The Infrastructure Podcast The affordable housing crisis with Anette Simpson
In today’s episode we dive into the UK’s deepening housing crisis– specifically looking at affordable housing where demand is still far outstripping supply.
Despite ambitious government targets to deliver 1.5 million new homes over the next five years, the reality is that we are still only seeing 50,000 to 60,000 affordable homes being built each year - far short of the estimated 145,000 required.
The shortfall leaves over 1.3 million households on waiting lists, while rising costs, planning delays, and economic uncertainty continue to challenge the sector.
My guest today is Anette Simpson the director of development and partnerships at Legal & General Affordable Homes where she is responsible for overseeing the delivery of some 3,000 affordable homes annually.
Legal & General Affordable Homes (LGAH) was founded in 2018 to bring institutional investment into affordable housing, leveraging private sector funding to help bridge the gap.
The business has ambition and Anette’s target is to have more than 10,000 homes under management this year. It aims to prove that, alongside the tradition public sector social housing providers, for-profit providers can play a crucial role in tackling the crisis.
As such their approach combines long-term investment with cutting-edge technology, ensuring both sustainability and high-quality service for residents.
However, the sector still faces significant barriers. Planning inefficiencies, limited government funding, and the financial pressures on housing associations are slowing progress. Meanwhile, challenges such as building safety upgrades, decarbonisation targets, and interest rate hikes are forcing traditional providers to scale back development.
And to attract further private investment, the industry needs greater stability, a more efficient planning system, and well-resourced local authority partners.
So let’s hear more as we explore LGAH’s role in shaping the future of affordable housing in the UK.
Resources
Legal & General Affordable Homes
The Legal & General Affordable Housing Fund
Planning overhaul to build 1.5M new homes