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“It was interesting to hear the government’s plans for the year ahead and where housing sits on their agenda. We’re pleased the affordable homes programme will be extended so that 70,000 more homes can be built in the areas most in need. The housing crisis and its impact on people isn’t going away so this announcement is encouraging but we all need to ensure the continuing lack of housing supply and affordability is addressed across all tenures.
“Everyone has a right to be safe in their home. That’s why we’re delighted the government has committed to provide £1billion to remove unsafe cladding on buildings over 18 metres high in addition to the funding already allocated to replace Aluminium Composite Material cladding (ACM) following the Grenfell Tower disaster. Fire safety is high on our agenda and we’re already working with specialists to ensure our homes go above and beyond fire safety standards.
“The government’s announcement for extra funding of £650million to provide new accommodation and support services for the homeless was also well received. The current housing crisis means there are many people in need of a home, so we hope this remains high on the government’s agenda.
“Additionally, coronavirus was understandably a key focus in the budget. It was encouraging to hear the government is taking action to support the wellbeing of the most vulnerable in society. Including temporarily removing the minimum income level for universal credit and providing a £500million hardship fund for local authorities to support people in their communities.
“Having a safe and secure place to call home is a basic human need, vital to everyone’s health and wellbeing. We look forward to continuing working closely with government to address housing issues including building the new homes and supporting the wellbeing of our customers.”