Launch of the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026 to 2036

Homes England and the Greater London Authority have published the 2026-2036 prospectus for their Social and Affordable Homes Programmes (SAHP).

The £39bn programme (up to £11.7bn in London over 10 years) will give housing associations and strategic partners, including Mayors, greater certainty over the capital funding they will have available to build new social and affordable homes in thriving communities.

And, further to the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report, the guidance makes explicit reference to funding supported and specialist housing, such as extra care and retirement living, as well as welcome acknowledgements for community-led housing/cohousing and intergenerational housing.

In relation to specialist and supported housing, the prospectus specifically states:

SAHP funding supports the supply of specialist and supported housing for older, disabled, and vulnerable people. This is housing which is purpose designed or designated to meet the needs of a particular group. It includes housing where accommodation is provided alongside care, support or supervision (or access to these services where needed) to help people to live as independently as possible.

For SAHP, specialist and supported housing is categorised into 3 needs groups:

older people — older people with or without support or care needs
working age disabled people — people with a physical or mental impairment with substantial or long-term support or care needs in line with the Equality Act 2010 definition of disability (opens new window)
people with transitional support needs — people in crisis or with temporary support needs

The specialist and supported housing types funded by SAHP are:

extra care or housing with care — purpose-built or adapted self-contained supported housing for older people or working age disabled people in a scheme with on-site care and support services for assisted living
accessible or adapted homes — long-term, self-contained housing for older people or working age disabled people purpose-designed or adapted for accessibility, and with access to support
retirement living or sheltered housing — self-contained, purpose-designed or adapted housing for older people in a scheme with some support services
designated housing for older people — self-contained homes with no special design features or additional facilities but which provide accommodation designated for older people, with a process to enable residents to access support services
purpose-designed supported living — long-term supported housing with care and support for working age disabled people purpose designed or adapted for this purpose
designated supported living — long-term supported housing with care and support which is designated for working age people but has no additional design features
purpose-designed accommodation-based supported housing — purpose-designed or adapted housing packaged with support services for people with transitional support needs
designated accommodation-based supported housing — housing packaged with support services which is designated for people with transitional support needs but has no additional design features

Details on how to submit a bid will be published on this page closer to the opening date in February 2026.