National Housing Bank
In March 2026, the government launched the National Housing Bank (NHB) – a subsidiary of Homes England in partnership with Aviva – as part of “a once-in-a-generation investment offer to accelerate delivery of new homes and mixed-use schemes” whilst also enabling the regeneration of towns and cities across England.
Homes England have also published a prospectus setting out how the NHB will offer debt finance, equity and loan guarantees, with capital investment up to £16 billion to stimulate growth alongside the agency’s other levers for inward investment.
And, following recommendations by the Older People’s Housing Taskforce, included in the prospectus is reference to the later living sector. It specifically states:
This remains under-developed in the UK compared to other mature economies and has the potential to make a significant contribution to the housing supply challenge. We can support this through:
- project-level senior and mezzanine debt to bring forward key strategic projects and leverage external capital
- equity investment – including joint ventures and lending platforms to help grow the sector
- tailored financial solutions.
The prospectus also reiterates Homes England’s commitment to grant fund specialist and supported housing designed to meet the needs of older people, disabled people and vulnerable households under its Social and Affordable Housing Programme, as highlighted by Ian Workman’s keynote presentation at the Housing LIN’s annual conference in Bristol in March 2026.
And, in addition to affordable rents, it sets out some ownership pathways (for example, products tailored for specific needs) including:
- Home Ownership for People with Long-Term Disabilities (HOLD) – shared ownership which helps people with a long-term disability buy a home that meets their specific needs
- Older Persons Shared Ownership (OPSO) – shared ownership often with specific design features
Lastly, there is also reference in the prospectus to funding place-based solutions and testing out and learning from new and innovative approaches.
