No, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner did not admit to plans to build 1.5 million houses for immigrants in the U.K.

Context

After Labour's victory in the general election on July 4, 2024, multiple Facebook posts surfaced alleging that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner had confessed to plans to construct 1.5 million houses for immigrants in the U.K.

"Why didn't they begin with aiding the homeless in the UK? and help families so they dont have to use food banks and go cold at winter? (sic)" the postscript under the post read.

One of the posts (archived link here) garnered over 180 shares, with a user adding, "We didn't even sign up for this when we were in the EU."

In fact

As Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, Rayner has outlined a plan to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years. This plan aims to address the U.K.'s overall housing crisis and is not specifically targeted at immigrants.

Labour's housing strategy includes building new towns, creating affordable housing, and reforming the planning system to make housing development more efficient. The "New Towns Code" mandates 40 percent affordable housing, including social and council homes. 

The plan also aims to stimulate economic growth by creating construction jobs and providing stable housing solutions. The policy has received cautious support from developers and housing experts, who recognize the need for government intervention but stress the importance of detailed planning and realistic timelines.

According to the House of Commons Library, the country needs approximately 340,000 new homes each year to meet demand, with 145,000 of these being affordable homes. However, recent statistics show that in 2021/22, only about 233,000 new homes were supplied, falling short of the former government's target of 300,000 annually, which has since been scrapped. This shortfall has contributed to severe affordability issues, with the average house price in England exceeding ten times the average salary.

Nevertheless, there are major concerns about the practicality of Labour's ambitious plan. Critics argue that political goals might conflict with economic realities, including the current state of the construction industry and market demand.

Labour's plan involves substantial planning reforms, including reinstating compulsory housebuilding targets and using "grey belt" land. However, the existing planning system's complexity and slow pace are considered major hurdles.

The need for coordination among local councils, developers, and communities adds another layer of challenge. Building 1.5 million homes requires significant financial resources and workforce capacity. While the Labour Party aims to address these through strategic partnerships with developers and government funding, the departure of 300,000 construction workers from the industry over the past five years poses a critical risk to meeting these targets.

Rayner acknowledges these challenges but remains confident in Labour's ability to deliver on its promises. She emphasizes learning from the post-war housing boom and adopting a strategic role for the government in planning and execution. Rayner also asserts that the plan's success hinges on robust government intervention and collaboration with responsible developers to ensure the delivery of high-quality, affordable homes.

"Our local housing recovery plan will reverse the Conservatives' damaging changes to planning, getting stalled sites moving at speed," she said in her speech to UKREiiF in May 2024.

Prior to the 2024 general election, the Conservative Party, which had been in charge for the past five years, had also made several promises regarding the housing crisis. They pledged to build 300,000 homes per year by the mid-2020s, a target they consistently failed to meet.

Furthermore, Logically Facts has previously debunked other misleading claims regarding Rayner and the housing of asylum seekers in the U.K.

Verdict

The claim that Angela Rayner admitted to plans to build 1.5 million houses specifically for immigrants is false. The housing plan is designed to benefit the broader population and address the critical housing shortage across the U.K.