Jacob Rees Mogg MP writes:

Recently, Victor da Cunha, the chief executive of the local housing association, Curo, contacted me about its 'Homes at the Heart' campaign.

Working with its trade body, the National Housing Federation (NHF), Curo is asking the Government for 'once-in-a-generation' expenditure on social housing to help the country recuperate from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Alongside this campaign, Curo has been collaborating with the NHF to identify five priorities for national recovery: 1) No return to rough sleeping; 2) A new generation of affordable homes; 3) Helping people to thrive at home; 4) A new drive to decarbonise social housing and 5) Change for communities across the country.

Housing Associations across England provide homes and support for more than six million people and for every £1 invested by the Government in building affordable homes housing associations add another £6. Last year, they built more than a quarter of all homes in England, adding an estimated £2.4bn to the economy, financing more than 43,500 jobs and showing the transformative impact of investment in social housing.

Building 90,000 new social rented homes would bolster the economy by £4.8bn and create 86,000 jobs. This is a dynamic, forward-thinking project, which, if successful, will help to rehabilitate our economy, get people back into work, raise awareness of local issues and provide much-needed properties to satisfy housing shortage. I am always delighted when such initiative is taken.