How can the UK realistically deliver the homes it urgently needs at scale, at speed, and at an affordable cost? 

The UK housing sector faces mounting pressure as demand continues to outstrip supply. Government ambitions to deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament remain central to the national growth strategy, yet progress highlights the scale of the challenge. Around 342,000 homes have been added since mid-2024, still leaving a significant gap against targets. Annual supply fell to 208,600 homes in 2024–25, while the country is estimated to need roughly 300,000 new homes each year to keep pace with demand. Alongside this, major policy initiatives, including planning reform, the Warm Homes Plan, and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, are reshaping how homes are delivered, with over 30,000 households already upgraded under retrofit programmes. 

However, the sector faces persistent structural challenges. Planning approvals have dropped to their lowest level in over a decade, with just 209,781 homes approved in the year to September 2025. Viability pressures, rising construction costs, and constrained investment are slowing delivery, while a national housing shortfall of over 6.5 million homes underscores the long-term scale of the crisis. At the same time, the transition to net zero requires an estimated £250 billion investment in retrofit, adding further complexity to delivery models. 

The Institute of Government & Public Policy Housing & Urban Development Conference brings together policymakers, local authorities, developers, and industry leaders to address these challenges head-on, exploring practical solutions, unlocking partnerships, and accelerating housing delivery across the UK.