According to research, 7.6 million people in England had at least one major housing problem relating to overcrowding, affordability or poor quality housing going into COVID-19. Compounded by the pandemic, one in three low-income earners have had to borrow money to pay their rent and the steep decline in social housing has led to huge increases in government welfare costs, as well as rising homelessness. 1.4 million households remain on the waiting list for affordable homes in the UK.
Legal & General say that it has accelerated the delivery of its pipeline to target the areas which need it most. With affordable housing starts falling 66% in London during the pandemic, Legal & General Affordable Homes has secured 1,000 new homes in the capital; most recently contracting on 174 affordable homes in Hammersmith and Fulham. 50% of these will be targeted to lower-income households, in line with the Council priority income groups.
The affordable housing is part of a 1,800 home scheme, redeveloping the former M&S distribution centre, which is due to hand over in mid-2022. Other schemes in London include 76 homes in Hounslow, completing in August 2021; 213 affordable rented homes in Wembley; 90 affordable rented homes in Lambeth and 127 affordable rented and shared ownership homes in Tower Hamlets.
Across the rest of the country, they are bringing forward over 2,200 homes in the South East, 900 homes in the South West and 1,400 homes in the Midlands and the North. Most recently, this week, Legal & General Affordable Homes handed over its first scheme in Doncaster to residents, as part of Doncaster Council’s 5 years housing delivery programme.
Ben Denton, Chief Executive, Legal & General Affordable Homes, says: “The pandemic has affected every corner of our lives and had a major impact on what we need from our homes, workplaces and communities. In particular, it has brought into even sharper relief the urgent need to provide stable and affordable homes for millions of households on low incomes. Since launching two years ago, Legal & General Affordable Homes has grown its development pipeline to 5,500 homes throughout the country to help meet the needs of local communities. We remain committed to deploying institutional capital at scale to address one of our greatest societal failings.”
