At present, there is no clear avenue for individuals to invest in affordable housing except through a very limited number of Retail Bonds which also have minimum investment requirements that are not suitable for, or marketed to, the wider public. The introduction of REITs – in theory – offered limited access to residential property investment but these have, again, not been successful on any kind of scale.

Working with HM Treasury to create a tax-free bond or savings product that can be offered by housing associations and through which individuals can invest in housing developments. The product – which would offer a guaranteed, tax-free return – could also incentivize a savings culture by either giving investors preferential treatment for social housing further down the line or offering investors the opportunity to transfer their savings into a deposit for a new home.