The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has criticised registered providers for not buying enough section 106 affordable homes, in response to fresh figures suggesting thousands of homes are at risk of standing empty or not being delivered due to the slowdown.

Around 8,500 affordable homes due to be delivered in the next 12 months are at risk because of a lack of a contract with a registered provider of social housing, according to analysis by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) today.

The body also said more than 700 housing developments have been stalled in the past three years because of registered providers (RPs) stepping back from buying affordable housing units required by local authorities.