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Little-known housing scheme that helps you rent a home with a 50% discount
Find out about the government backed programme that can help you save 50% on rent
TENANTS could get up to 50% off renting bills with a little-known housing scheme.
The Affordable Homes Programme is available to social and private renters - and distributed by local authorities.
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Councils have been given £11.4 billion of funding, which is being split between England (£7.4 billion) and London (£4 billion) but the scheme is due to end in 2026.
The programme is for people on lower incomes, and people with disabilities or special needs.
How to find your new home?
So, for social renters, you will need to reach out to your local authorities, as in most cases they are responsible for allocating rented affordable housing.
To check your eligibility, they request that applicants demonstrate a local connection to the area, usually asking for those applying to have lived locally for a minimum of two years.
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On the other hand, private renters looking to capitalise on the programme can try looking for homes registered under the London Living Rent scheme.
You will be able to search for these through the You can also check your eligibility and book open day viewings.
To be eligible, you must live or work in London, either have a formal tenancy or live in an informal arrangement due to costs, and have a maximum household income of £67,000.
An applicant must also not own any other residential homes, and be unable to buy a home, including through shared ownership, in your local area.
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How much affordable housing is being delivered?
Right now, there are around 4.1 million social and affordable rented homes in England, which is about 16% of the total housing stock.
Of the 63,600 units of affordable housing delivered in 2022/23, around 14% were produced by local authorities, with the remainder supplied by other social housing providers.
Around 15% of new affordable homes were for social rent, 49% were other forms of low cost rent, and 36% were affordable home ownership.
How much more affordable housing is needed?
BELOW we reveal how much more affordable housing is actually needed.
The housing shortage across the country is something widely publicised, and is emphasised by the number of households in temporary accommodation and on local authority housing waiting lists.
It is estimated there is a need for 145,000 new affordable homes per year, with 90,000 of them being for social rent, says homelessness charity Crisis and the National Housing Federation.
The call for 90,000 new homes per year for social rent has been further endorsed by the Affordable Housing Commission, which urges the government to seek a ‘steep change in affordable housing supply.’
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee also agrees with the need for more social rent homes, and calls on the government to address the ‘chronic shortage.’
What other rental support schemes are there?
Local rent deposit schemes
It is worth checking to see whether your local council has a rent deposit, bond, or guarantee scheme to help with your deposit.
Your local council will also be able to point you in the direction of any schemes run by local charities that could give you money to help with a deposit and rent in advance.
Some schemes give grants that you do not have to pay back, while others have interest free loans that you pay back in small instalments.
Discretionary housing payment
If you receive Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, you may be eligible for a discretionary housing payment.
This payment is designed to help with rent and costs like a tenancy deposit. You also do no need to have the fee back.
Redbridge London Borough Council, and Tower Hamlets London Borough Council have both been approached for comment for additional details of the programme.
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