“Budget promises on Right to Buy reform, investment in existing social housing, a five-year rent settlement to stabilise council housing funds, and a cash injection for genuinely affordable homes are all very welcome indeed,” said Eamon.

“They make a solid beginning and we are keen to play our part in providing more of the – genuinely affordable – homes for rent so desperately needed to bring the homeless out of temporary accommodation and to offer secure tenures for key workers, young families and the elderly and vulnerable.”

In its work presenting member’s hopes and concerns to central government, the NFA has consistently argued that a well-supplied, healthy housing market is one that offers everyone a range of ways to establish a home, whether by renting or buying, as they choose. Council housing is key to that health, given that local authorities also hold the duty to house the homeless and must find funds for that work.

Eamon drew attention to recently published analysis of council housing finances by the Affordable Homes unit at independent consultants Savills, commissioned by the NFA and partners at the LGA and ARCH. Government social housing policy since 2012 has left housing revenue accounts with a multi-billion pound ‘black hole’ and some councils are facing stark choices between going into further debt or not complying with regulation.

“The new Right to Buy policy that preserves a tenant’s right to buy their home but doesn’t take scarce social housing out of the market forever, is exactly what is needed,” said Eamon.

“But without complementary reform to councils’ housing revenue accounts, the ability to add new homes is likely to be beyond much of the sector.

“As we work with government over the next six months alongside our social housing partners and other stakeholders, one of our key asks now will be the vital goal of returning local authority housing revenue accounts to health after eight years of government imposed rent cuts.”