Rachel Maclean becomes Minister of State

In response to Rachel Maclean’s appointment as Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Nicholas Harris, Chief Executive at Stonewater, said: "We welcome Rachel Maclean to her new role as Housing Minister and hope she brings some much-needed stability to the housing portfolio.

"A key priority for the sector is having a clear focus over the longer term for the supply and development of new affordable homes, as well as working with government to support customers through the current cost-of-living crisis.
Having consistency, in both appointments and policy, is critical to tackling the long-standing national housing crisis alongside the more immediate challenges."

Nicholas added: "The establishment of a new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is a positive step. It offers the opportunity to bring together two key areas to improve energy-efficiency in housing: retrofit and new homes. These are crucial areas where housing providers can help make fuel bills more manageable for customers while also driving sustainable solutions for the future.

"Recent research commissioned by Stonewater, along with the investment we are making in our existing and new homes, demonstrates our willingness to work with the government in this area. It is exciting to see the opportunity for a more co-ordinated approach and targeted investment to help bridge the remaining funding gap."