CHoSS: How to access funded council housebuilding support
CHoSS stands for the Council Housebuilding Support Service. It is a service which is fully funded by MHCLG, and it is designed to provide fully funded, practical support to councils who are looking to explore, start, or accelerate their aspirations around council housebuilding.
To register your council’s interest in the Council Housebuilding Support Service (CHoSS), please CLICK HERE
CHoSS is currently running a spring webinar series that brings together sector insight, technical expertise and peer experience to explore the practical enablers of successful council-led housebuilding. CLICK HERE for more information.
Available Resources
Councils are under growing pressure to deliver more homes, often with limited capacity. This free webinar explores how the Council Housebuilding Support Service (CHoSS) can help councils build capability and confidence to deliver council homes now and in the future.
Delivered by Local Partnerships LLP and the Local Government Association’s Council Housebuilding Support Service (CHoSS), the session covers:
- The support available through CHoSS
- Key challenges councils are currently facing
- Real examples of CHoSS support in action
- How the CHoSS self-assessment helps unlock the right support
FAQs
Watch this short video to learn about the basics of CHoSS. If you are interested, or simply want to learn more, register your interest now!
Who funds CHoSS?
The programme is fully funded by MHCLG, as part of its Council Housebuilding Skills & Capacity Programme (CHSCP). This overall programme (backed by £12 million of funding in 2025/26) is delivered in partnership with Homes England and the Local Government Association. CHSCP has three distinct elements:
- the Council Housebuilding Support Service (CHoSS), delivered by the LGA
- an expansion of the Pathways to Planning programme, also delivered by the LGA
- the Council Housebuilding Support Fund, delivered by Homes England.
How long is the programme funded for?
Currently, funding is confirmed for the 2025/26 financial year.
How big is the programme?
MHCLG has provided £6 million in 2025/26 for the LGA to run and administer CHoSS which includes working with at least 75 councils in total.
How does it work?
The process is really simple, and you will be supported throughout. The process starts with the council completing a self-assessment of current capacity and capability needs. Each council taking part will then be able to access a bespoke support offer. This will include resources, webinars and workshops as well as specialist support relevant to the council’s particular needs. It will draw on expertise from across the LGA through existing programmes, Local Partnerships, and through peer learning from other councils.
What kind of support is available?
Support under the programme is flexible and bespoke to the requirements of the council involved, as long as it relates to council housebuilding. For example, support which the first councils who are accessing support has included:
- Scoping and reviewing what a council needs to do to take new development forward
- Exploration of options for councils to commence or accelerate delivery (including delivery of options appraisals)
- Commercial reviews of council development programmes to maximise value for money
- Conducting or reviewing site valuations and appraisals
- Delivery of workshops on areas of specific concern or interest
- Hands on support in the delivery of live projects
- Project planning, or other support, in reopening Housing Revenue Accounts
- Support for the development of pipelines of sites for new council housebuilding
- Commercial reviews of existing delivery vehicles
- Development of affordable homes strategies
What counts as ‘council housebuilding’ for these purposes?
Delivery of new homes by the Council. This can be through an existing HRA, through reopening an HRA, direct delivery outside of the HRA (if below the threshold), or through a wholly owned delivery vehicle. Better use of existing buildings, or private sector led development, are not in scope. Estates regeneration schemes could be in scope if they lead to an increase in housing.
Does my council need to be stockholding or have a Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to benefit from this programme?
A Housing Revenue Account, or HRA, is a ring-fenced, statutory account used by local authorities to manage the finances of their council housing stock.
While the programme is not being specifically designed to encourage councils without an HRA to establish one, it is acknowledged that owning more than 199 homes would currently necessitate the creation of an HRA. The programme could support councils in establishing an HRA, should that align with their identified support needs.
Now! CHoSS is open to all councils who are seeking to establish, enhance, or accelerate their delivery of high-quality, affordable council homes, regardless of whether or not those councils own stock or have a HRA.
We want to work with all councils seeking to boost their council housebuilding capacity and capability, and the bespoke support offer they receive from the programme will depend on their individual needs following the use of the CHoSS self-assessment tool.
CHoSS Webinar Replays
Upskilling the Workforce: Gearing Up for Successful Delivery
Wednesday 11 March 2026 | 11:00–12:00
Delivered by CHoSS, Local Partnerships, LGA Workforce & Pathways to Planning
Delivery ambition must be matched by organisational readiness. This session focuses on workforce capacity, skills and structure — helping councils assess whether they are equipped for sustained housebuilding.
The discussion will highlight practical support available to strengthen delivery capacity.
- What effective housing delivery teams look like
- Common capability gaps and structural pressures
- Planning workforce pipelines
- Support available to strengthen capacity
Finance and Funding for Council House building
Wednesday 18 March 2026 | 11:00–12:00
Delivered by CHoSS & Local Partnerships
Rising costs, competing capital pressures and evolving funding rules mean that financial strategy is now central to council-led housebuilding.
This session will explore the sources of finance and funding available to councils and, crucially, how to make a clear and credible internal case for investment in housing delivery.
The discussion will cover:
- The key financial and funding considerations influencing council housebuilding
- Approaches to structuring and planning investment to support delivery
- Building organisational confidence around housing investment decisions
- Aligning financial strategy with long-term housing ambition
Viability & Pipeline: Turning Ambition into Deliverable Schemes
Wednesday 25 March 2026 | 11:00–12:00
Delivered by CHoSS & Local Partnerships
REPLAY the webinar HERE
Strengthening pipeline management and addressing viability challenges are central to accelerating council housebuilding.
Even where ambition and funding exist, schemes can stall due to viability pressures, cost inflation, changing assumptions, or uncertainty around programme sequencing and risk management.
This session will cover:
- Understanding the key drivers that influence viability
- Prioritising sites and managing pipeline sequencing
- Identifying why schemes stall and how to unblock them
- Strengthening programme-level risk management and decision-making
Establishing and Strengthening HRAs for Sustainable Delivery
Thursday 16 April 2026 | 13:00–14:00
Delivered by CHoSS & Local Partnerships
REPLAY the webinar HERE
Housing Revenue Accounts (HRAs) remain central to sustainable council housebuilding. For councils undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), reviewing existing HRAs or considering structural changes, clarity around governance, modelling and delivery structures is critical.
This session explores key considerations for councils establishing, consolidating or strengthening HRAs to support long-term housing delivery.
Sustainability in Council House building
Thursday 23 April 2026 | 11:00–12:00
Delivered by CHoSS, Local Partnerships & LGA Sustainability
COMING SOON
Integrating environmental ambition into housing delivery is now a core consideration for councils.
This peer-led session brings council voices into the discussion, sharing practical experience of embedding sustainability and net zero goals within housing programmes.
- Integrating sustainability into delivery frameworks
- Managing viability and procurement trade-offs
- Governance considerations when setting environmental standards
- Lessons learned from implementation