It's time to let the pigs fly

This October, put the hope back into housing

For decades, people have been saying that councils will never again build social homes at scale. That it can’t happen. That pigs might fly.

Together, we can prove them wrong. This Autumn Budget, the government has a vital opportunity to get councils building at scale again, so everyone has a decent home that they can afford.

Sign our letter to Chancellor John Healey, calling on him to put the hope back into housing.

Because it’s time to let the pigs fly.

Support the campaign – sign the open letter

Why do we need to get councils building?

Homelessness is at record levels in England, and continues to rise.

To reverse this trend, we need to build 90,000 social homes a year, for 10 years.

The surest way to ramp up delivery of social homes is through local councils. They are best placed to build homes that meet the needs of their communities. Homes that are safe and secure. Homes that give families a foundation to thrive.

But for too long councils’ ability to build has been hamstrung by unsustainable debt, restrictive fiscal rules and inadequate funding.

So how can we get councils building again?

We’re asking the Chancellor for four things at the Autumn Budget.

1. Remove the debt that stops councils building

2. Give councils access to fair, low-cost loans

3. Bring forward and increase the £39bn Social and Affordable Housing Programme

4. Change public borrowing rules to enable greater investment in social housing

These measures would empower councils to once again take a bold, active role in building and managing new social homes.

You can learn more about how these recommendations would work by reading our new report: Foundation to Thrive: How to Unlock a Council Housing Revolution.

Countdown to lift-off

With less than a month until the Autumn Budget, now is the time to join our campaign. Add your voice to thousands of others calling for a historic ‘council building budget’. Let’s prove the doubters wrong.

Ends Tuesday 27 October 2026 at 11:59pm