Members login
Search Icon

NIFHA Chair’s Statement on TCI/HAG 18/11/2025

Hazel Bell, Chair of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations, has said “The reduction in Housing Association Grant effective from the 1st December 2025 is a serious concern for Housing Associations, as well as every person and family on the social housing waiting list.

“This is a change to how social housing is financed that has been made without any detailed consultation with Housing Associations. Ideally our sector would have had these new rates several months ago, so that housing associations could assess scheme viability and feedback to the Department for Communities the impact on the pipeline of housing delivery. Instead, housing associations are now carefully considering each potential housing project on a case-by-case basis and how these changes will impact current construction plans, with a few weeks to go until the new rates will apply. Developments which were set to be approved after December will now have to be fully reconsidered to assess if they are financially viable, particularly in Belfast and other areas of high housing need.

“As a result of these changes, planned projects will now have a reduction in grant levels from the Department for Communities and housing associations are expected to raise more private finance. Housing Associations in Northern Ireland are not-for-profit organisations and every extra pound they must pay in interest payments is a pound not spent on building new homes and maintaining their existing homes and services.

“While we welcome the Minister’s commitment to making changes to the design guide for new build social housing and his commitment to accessing public land, it is likely to be some time before any benefits of this are realised. Housing Associations need certainty now so that they may continue to deliver the homes that our communities so desperately need.”