Oral QuestionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of Housing Revenue Account debt on the ability of local authorities to maintain and increase council housing stock.

Tabled: 1 September 2026Answered: 7 September 2026

Asked by

Dame Meg Hillier

Labour (Co-op)Hackney South and Shoreditch

Answering Minister

the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Answer from Hansard

The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)

We recognise that many councils are facing significant financial pressure on their HRAs. The Government have already taken a number of steps to rebuild the capacity of councils to borrow and invest in new and existing homes, including fundamental reform of the right to buy scheme, a 10-year social housing rent settlement and social rent convergence. We will continue to explore further ways in which we might support councils to expand their stock of social homes, including low-cost borrowing options.