On Friday, 17 July 2026, Andy Burnham became Leader of the Labour Party, and, on Monday, 20 July, Sir Keir Starmer met with King Charles to resign. Mr Burnham was then invited to form a government, becoming the UK's seventh Prime Minister in just ten years.
So, what might we expect from the new Prime Minister and, more importantly for buyers, sellers, landlords and renters, what impact could Andy Burnham have on the UK property market?
The reality is that, despite the political change, the Labour Government has already delivered or started work on one of the biggest programmes of housing reform for decades.
In many respects, the bigger question may not be what Andy Burnham changes, but whether he chooses to accelerate the existing programme or give the property sector time to adapt before introducing further reforms.
What housing policies could continue under Andy Burnham?
One place to start is Mr Burnham's commitment to broadly implement the manifesto that Labour was elected on.
On housing, this includes:
- Building 1.5 million new homes over the course of this Parliament
- Delivering the largest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation
- Prioritising development on brownfield land
- Building a new generation of New Towns
To help achieve this, Labour also pledged significant planning reform, including:
- Reforming the planning system to speed up housing delivery
- Restoring mandatory housing targets for local authorities
- Recruiting an additional 300 planning officers
- Reviewing Green Belt land, with greater use of lower-quality 'grey belt' land where appropriate
Alongside this, Labour committed to progressing long-awaited leasehold and commonhold reforms, including:
- Making commonhold the default tenure for new flats
- Strengthening leaseholders' rights
- Tackling excessive service charges and unfair management practices
- Ending the sale of most new leasehold houses
And, of course, one of the biggest changes for many landlords, tenants and property professionals has been the introduction of the Renters' Rights Act, fundamentally changing the way England's private rented sector operates.
How much of Labour's housing programme is already underway?
Despite some of the criticism levelled at the Labour Party, from a property perspective, quite a lot has already been done, or the groundwork has been laid.
The Renters' Rights Act is now being implemented, leasehold and commonhold reforms continue to progress, seven New Towns have been announced, additional funding has been committed for affordable and social housing, and planning reforms are beginning to work their way through Parliament.
The biggest challenge remains delivering the 1.5 million homes promised during this Parliament.
While planning reform should help over time, the economics of development remain difficult.
The Home Builders Federation estimates that the cost of delivering a new home has increased by around £76,000 since 2020, with around half of this attributed to higher labour and material costs and the remainder to additional policy, regulatory and tax requirements.
Higher borrowing costs are another consideration, while the viability of new developments remains one of the biggest potential barriers to increasing housing supply.
With so much already underway, the question therefore becomes less, 'What will Andy Burnham do? and more what can the new Government realistically do given the financial pressures the country faces?
What could happen to digital ID?
One of the first announcements from the new Prime Minister has been his intention to scrap the proposed national digital ID programme.
At first glance, this might not appear to have much relevance to the property market.
However, a national digital identity system could potentially have supported Right to Rent checks, simplified identity verification during the home buying and selling process, and helped reduce fraud across housing services.
Instead, Mr Burnham has said the estimated £1.8 billion cost of the programme will be redirected towards measures aimed at easing everyday cost-of-living pressures, although questions have subsequently been raised over how much of this money would actually be available to spend elsewhere.
Could rent controls be introduced in England?
Perhaps one of the biggest questions for landlords and letting agents is whether England could eventually introduce some form of rent control, as seen in other parts of the world and, in different forms, in Scotland.
Supporters argue that well-designed rent regulation could improve affordability and provide greater certainty for tenants while more homes are built.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published research suggesting that rent controls, if introduced alongside wider tax reform and increased housing supply, could help improve affordability.
Similarly, Dr Beth Stratford and colleagues at University College London's Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose have argued that carefully designed rent regulation, combined with exemptions for new-build homes, could help strike a balance between tenant security and continued investment.
However, opponents of rent controls argue they risk discouraging investment, reducing the supply of rental homes and making it harder for tenants to find suitable accommodation.
So far, Labour has rejected introducing rent controls in England, and they were also rejected while Angela Rayner was Housing Secretary.
Whether the new Prime Minister chooses to revisit the issue remains to be seen.
Could property taxes change?
Tax is another area attracting considerable speculation.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham indicated he would be prepared to consider aligning Capital Gains Tax more closely with Income Tax rates, provided any changes remained consistent with Labour's wider fiscal commitments.
If such a policy were introduced, it could have implications for residential property investors.
There has also been speculation around possible changes to Inheritance Tax and further reforms to Stamp Duty Land Tax. However, at the time of writing, no formal Government proposals have been announced.
Stamp Duty is already a significant consideration for many homebuyers, and the amount buyers pay can vary considerably depending on property prices in their part of the country.
Could social housing become a bigger priority?
Andy Burnham has long argued that increasing the supply of social housing should be central to solving England's housing problems.
He has also expressed a desire to build on Greater Manchester's 'A Bed Every Night' initiative to help tackle homelessness nationally.
While the scheme has attracted praise, homelessness and the number of households living in temporary accommodation continue to highlight the scale of the challenge facing any Government.
Many housing organisations are also calling for the freeze on Local Housing Allowance to be lifted, arguing that doing so would improve affordability for lower-income households and reduce pressure on homelessness services.
What can the new Prime Minister realistically change?
Perhaps the biggest question isn't what Andy Burnham wants to do, but what he is able to do, particularly when public finances remain under considerable pressure.
With so many housing reforms already underway, there may also be limited appetite within the property industry for another major wave of change before existing legislation has had time to bed in, particularly in the rental sector.
Over the next few months, and especially around the next Budget, we should get a clearer picture of whether the new Prime Minister intends to build on Labour's existing housing programme or focus more of his attention on other parts of the economy.
Either way, the success of the Government's housing policy is likely to be judged less on new announcements and more on whether it can deliver the homes already promised, improve affordability and increase confidence across the housing market.
What could this mean if you're thinking of moving?
Changes in government policy can influence the property market, but they are only one part of the picture.
For individual buyers and sellers, factors such as local property supply and demand, mortgage rates, affordability and personal circumstances are often just as important as national policy.
If you're considering moving home, it can therefore be useful to understand what's happening in your local market rather than trying to predict your next move based solely on potential future policy changes.
Whether you're planning to buy, sell, let or rent, Your Move's local property experts can help you understand your options and the property market in your area.
Find your nearest Your Move branch or arrange a property valuation today.
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FAQs
What could Andy Burnham change about the UK property market?
Potential areas include housing supply, planning, social housing, rental policy and property taxation. However, many housing reforms are already underway, so the extent of any further changes remains uncertain.
Could Andy Burnham introduce rent controls in England?
The draft notes that rent controls have been proposed by various organisations and commentators, but Labour had previously rejected introducing them. Whether that position changes remains uncertain.
Could Capital Gains Tax change for landlords?
Changes to Capital Gains Tax are discussed as a possibility rather than confirmed government policy, so investors should wait for formal government announcements before making decisions based on speculation.
Could Stamp Duty change under the new government?
There has been speculation about further property tax reform, but the article does not identify a formal proposal to change Stamp Duty Land Tax.
What is Labour’s housebuilding target?
The programme discussed in the article includes a commitment to build 1.5 million new homes over the course of the Parliament.
What could the changes mean for homebuyers and sellers?
Planning reform, housing supply, taxation and wider economic conditions could all influence the market. Buyers and sellers should focus on confirmed policy changes alongside local property-market conditions rather than speculation.
The Your Move Content Marketing Team
