The number of affordable homes delivered in the year to March was almost stagnant at 57,644, which was just 1 per cent higher than the total delivered in the previous year, official figures reveal.

However, the data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government show that there was a 13 per cent increase in the number of affordable homes for which building work began but did not complete over the same comparison period, with 68,346 housing starts recorded.

But the share of affordable homes designated for renters has plunged from from 77 per cent of completions in 2015/16 to 65 per cent in 2019/20.

As a share of affordable housing starts, properties designated for renters fell from 75 per cent to 56 per cent over the same timeframe.

Home ownership scheme RenterBuyer’s founder Olu Olufote says: “The small 1 per cent increase in the number of affordable home completions last year is consistent with previous years, but the impact of the pandemic during 2020 would suggest worse figures to come for the year to March 2021.

 “We can also expect to see a big slowdown in construction that might offset the 13 per cent increase in the number of starts on site. 

 “The data also shows that 65 per cent of the affordable homes are only available for rent and not for sale to new homeowners.

“Nothing is worse than being stuck renting when you really want to own but until we start building more affordable homes that people can actually purchase, house prices will remain high and affordability a massive obstacle.

“Affordability is a particular issue for millennial first-time buyers, who are faced with a further widening of the gap between average house prices and average wages.

“To boost housing supply, more still needs to be done to relax planning rules and the government could also do more to help fund innovative new construction methods for affordable housing.

“The other issue for prospective homeowners, especially in the current climate, is mortgage finance, which is as rare as hens’ teeth for anyone with less than a 15 per cent deposit.”