Andy Burnham has inherited a daunting housing challenge: the government must deliver 1.5 million new homes in England by the end of the current parliamentary term.
Last year, only 143,110 houses were completed, falling short of the previous year and marking the lowest annual total since 2015/16.
Research shows that to reach the target by July 2029, an average of 1,008 new homes would need to be built each day, compared with a current pace of 547 per day—an 84% increase in construction output.
Achieving this pace would require approximately 345,000 additional construction workers by 2029, translating to around 300 new hires daily.
The Office for National Statistics reports a decline of 78,878 construction workers in the past year, a loss of roughly 200 workers each day.
The Construction Industry Training Board projects a 0.9% drop in the workforce this year, with only a modest rebound expected before 2030, leaving numbers still below pre‑COVID and pre‑Brexit levels.
In response, the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government has announced a £625 million investment to recruit 60,000 new construction workers and an additional £1.2 billion for training programmes, aiming to expand skills capacity by 2029.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has described the 1.5 million‑home goal as a “real challenge,” noting rising construction costs and other economic pressures that threaten progress.
Rayner likened the target to running a London Marathon in under five hours, emphasizing her commitment to maintain the ambition despite the difficulties.
Burnham has pledged to oversee the largest council housebuilding effort since the post‑war era, when over 4.4 million council homes were constructed in 35 years, including 200,000 in 1954 alone.
However, the government faces additional obstacles, such as escalating construction costs and global economic uncertainties, including those linked to geopolitical conflicts.
Despite these challenges, the administration remains focused on meeting the housing target through workforce expansion, planning reforms, and financial incentives aimed at stimulating new home construction.
