HBF Policy Conference 2026

HBF Policy Conference 2026 - 24 March - 1 Wimpole Street, London

Housing secretary issues industry “call to arms” at HBF Policy Conference

Housing secretary Steve Reed has issued a "call to arms" for the industry to work with the government to "build, baby, build".

Speaking at the Home Builders Federation's Policy Conference in London, Reed gave an overview of the measures the government had taken to lay the ground for the delivery of 1.5 million new homes, including planning reform, the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, financing through the new National Housing Bank and moves to simplify the buying process.

The housing secretary pointed out the human consequences of the housing shortage, including families living in temporary accommodation. "We are supporting you to give you the tools - we need you to do your job too. In a world that feels less stable, what remains certain is Britain needs more homes."

In the post-war housing boom, councils delivered 80% of the 1 million homes delivered, Reed said. But today, "the fiscal situation demands a different course. We're relying on you [housebuilders] to get Britain building."

"You are not just building homes- you're building hope."

Reed cited world events as a reason not to introduce a Help to Buy-style scheme to stimulate demand, following a question from the audience.

"There are a lot more mortgage products, but we have the situation in the Middle East,” Reed stated. But he also said the government needed to consider "what aspects" of Help to Buy "worked and didn't work".

Also speaking at the conference, Amy Rees, chief executive of the government’s housing and regeneration agency Homes England, offered a positive account of how the agency wished to work with developers, and the new types of financial support available which would , she said, be easier to access than previous programmes.

Speaking on the themes of "together", "optimism" and "realism", Rees said the new Social and Affordable Homes programme was encouraging registered providers to bid for funds for housing delivery.

The National Housing Delivery Fund, Rees said, "brings together the different parts you [previously] had to bid for".

And the National Housing Bank, launching on April 1 and offering up to £16 billion in financial capacity, would "give you access to allow some of those viability gaps to close".

On being realistic, Rees said that "headwinds had been made stronger" by recent world events. But she stated her determination to meet with housebuilders, particularly SMEs who "feel much less well heard than bigger developers. I need to hear properly the different nuances".

"Despite the headwinds, I come back to enthusiasm. There is a mature relationship between you and government. We have the relationship- we now need to face the headwinds together."

Before delegates heard from the two government figures, Greg Fitzgerald, ceo of large housebuilder Vistry, talked of the viability and market challenges the industry faced.

Painting a frank picture, Fitzgerald said: “The SME sector is decimated. Having started three private housebuilders, I wouldn’t start an SME today. There’s the gestation period – you’re doing well if you can sell the product two-and-a-half to five years after buying land.”

To ease matters, Fitzgerald suggested government introduce a clause to the Future Homes Standard, allowing some of the money that would be spent on an “already well-insulated house” to be diverted to local authorities or housing associations to update ageing stock. “You’d get more bang for your buck and more employment opportunities. You can’t get employment through air source heat pumps.”

He also stated that the New Towns programme should be scrapped and replaced with “a team who would make sure a number of homes get built. Councils should also be building, he said.

Fitzgerald also noted a lack of investment within the industry over many years.“I do worry about what will happen when we get close to 2029 and we’re not getting near the 1.5 million homes. Will it be both our [industry and government’s] faults?”

Other speakers at the conference included Neil Jefferson, chief executive of the Home Builders Federation, who gave an overview of the state of play for housebuilders and industry asks, Frances Haque, Santander’s chief economist, Ian McDermott, Peabody’s chief executive, Lucian Cook, head of residential research at Savills and Emily Williams, Savills’ director - residential research.

The conference also included a planning panel, featuring Catherine Williams, HBF’s planning director, Hashi Mohammed, barrister at Landmark Chambers, Ian Anderson, chief executive of Iceni Projects and Vicky Hesson, group land and planning director at Barratt Redrow.

Chris Doré, business development director of TriConnex and eSmart Networks, and Rhodri Wiliams, HBF's technical and sustainability director, gave technical updates and insights.