Additional affordable housing

Affordable housing provides a route to becoming a homeowner or rental tenant for those whose needs are not met by the housing market. This includes homes which are sold at a reduced market value, shared ownership homes, and social rent or other affordable rental scheme homes.

The additional affordable housing figures provide the gross number of starts and completions of affordable homes (including new builds and acquisitions), not accounting for losses in affordable housing stock, such as demolitions or sales. Further information is provided in the 'Things you need to know about the data' section below.

The latest figures cover the financial year 2023/24.

Key figures

  • There were 1,143 starts in housing construction of additional affordable homes and 1,475 completions in Lancashire-12.
  • There were 1,383 starts in housing construction of additional affordable homes and 1,629 completions in Lancashire-14.
  • South Ribble (300), Chorley (217) and Blackburn with Darwen (208) had the largest number of starts. Fylde (0) had the fewest starts.
  • The largest number of completions were in Wyre (274), Preston (247) and West Lancashire (196). Fylde (20) had the fewest completions.
  • Compared to 2022/23, there was a decrease in both the number of completions (-128) and starts (-465) of affordable homes.

Affordable homes to purchase

Of the additional affordable homes for ownership in Lancashire-12, 392 of these were shared ownership and 65 were affordable home ownership completions. All of these were new build properties.

Preston (99), Wyre (69), Chorley (68), South Ribble (62) and West Lancashire (61) had the largest number of shared ownership and affordable home ownership completions.

Compared to previous year, the number of shared ownership (514 in 2022/23) and affordable home ownership (163 in 2022/23) completions decreased in 2023/24.

Affordable homes to rent

Of the additional affordable homes for rent in Lancashire-12, 912 of these were affordable rent, 56 were intermediate rent, and 50 were social rent completions. The majority of these were new build properties.

Wyre (205), Pendle (156), Preston (148), West Lancashire (135) and Blackpool (116) had the largest number of affordable rent, intermediate rent and social rent completions.

Compared to previous year, the number of affordable rent (811 in 2022/23) and intermediate rent (36 in 2022/23) completions increased in 2023/24. In contrast, the number of social rent completions (71 in 2022/23) decreased.

Source: Affordable housing supply in England from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Figures for the affordable supply of housing are released annually by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). These figures provide the gross annual supply of affordable homes, which includes new build homes and homes purchased from the private sector, but does not take account of losses, such as demolitions or sales.

These figures differ from those published by Homes England twice a year. The Homes England statistics report on affordable housing delivered through its shared ownership and affordable homes programmes, while the figures from MHCLG provide a more complete picture of affordable housing, regardless of funding mechanism. While delivery through Homes England accounts for the majority of affordable housing supply, the scope of the figures from MHCLG is wider than the Homes England figures.

The data includes homes where the cost is met by a private registered or non-registered developer (e.g. Section 106 agreements) or the local authority. Non-registered providers includes those who are not registered with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), such as unregistered housing associations, private sector developers, and community-led groups. Registered providers include those who registered with the RSH, such as housing associations or arm's length management organisations (ALMOs)).

Note that figures for starts are only available from 2015/16 onward, while completion figures are available from 1991/92 onward.

Affordable housing definition

Affordable housing includes housing which is for rent or for sale, for those whose needs are not met by the market (including housing that provides a subsidised route to home ownership or is for essential local workers) and meets definition in Annex 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework. This includes discounted market sales housing and other affordable routes to home ownership (such as shared ownership, rent to buy and equity loans), social rents and other affordable housing for rent. From 2021/22, these figures also include homes purchased under the first homes scheme.

Page updated 6 August 2025