Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has launched Northern Ireland’s first-ever Affordable Rent programme, a £61.5 million initiative designed to provide 300 high-quality homes at below-market rates for lower-income households struggling with private sector costs.
Announced on 16 June 2026, the scheme marks the first operational phase of the Intermediate Rent policy under the Executive’s Housing Supply Strategy 2024-2039. It targets “hard-pressed” families and individuals who earn too much for social housing yet remain priced out of the private market.
How the scheme works
The Affordable Rent programme offers a new tenure option sitting between social housing and private renting. Properties will be let at a 20% discount to local market rents, with tenancy agreements lasting up to five years and flexible deposit arrangements to reduce upfront barriers.
Eligibility is strictly income-based: single-adult households must earn £30,000 net or less, while two-adult households face a £40,000 ceiling. The Department notes that households on social housing waiting lists or receiving Housing Benefit may apply, suggesting the scheme could serve as a stepping stone towards home ownership.
The first homes are expected to be available from summer 2026, with advertising commencing shortly through the Maple and May website, Property Pal and Property News.
Locations and delivery
The initial development will be at Old Eglish Road, Dungannon, with further sites planned for Newry, Craigavon, Lisburn and Londonderry during the 2026/27 financial year. Belfast and additional locations are earmarked for future years, though specific timelines remain unspecified.
Property company Maple and May—a wholly owned subsidiary of Choice Housing (Ireland) Ltd—will deliver the homes. The firm was confirmed in March 2025 as Northern Ireland’s first Intermediate Rent Operator following a competitive selection process.
Funding model
The £61.5 million investment from the Department for Communities takes the form of a low-interest, long-term Financial Transactions Capital (FTC) loan. This novel funding mechanism allows the Minister to leverage additional private finance while preserving traditional capital grants for social housing construction.
Maple and May will contribute £10.8 million in private capital finance and approximately £50 million in private revenue finance, bringing total investment to over £122 million. The Minister emphasised that using loan funding rather than direct capital grants enables him to “target capital funding for more social housing across Northern Ireland.”
Ministerial ambitions
Minister Lyons framed the launch as a radical departure from traditional housing delivery models:
“As Minister with responsibility for housing, I am determined to be radical, innovative and ambitious to deliver for hard-pressed people and families. Affordable Rent is a landmark initiative for Northern Ireland. It has the potential to be truly transformational, not only for the housing market but for the lives of those who will benefit from these new high-quality homes at below market rents.”
He added:
“Secure, affordable housing transforms lives, and is about more than the physical fabric of the home. It is about people and community. It is about a sense of belonging, and it is about providing families and individuals with a place where they can live, connect and thrive. My ultimate ambition is to see this new affordable rent model grow and play a lasting and meaningful role in addressing housing need for years to come. I am fully focused on delivering for people and families by giving them access to more affordable rents, greater stability, and a genuine opportunity to save and plan for the future.”
Provider perspective
Deirdre Steele, Head of Maple and May, welcomed the partnership:
“This exciting initiative will enable Maple and May to support local communities through the delivery of 300 new affordable homes across Northern Ireland. As a first for Northern Ireland, this innovative project will provide greater flexibility for individuals and families looking to access the private property market. With features including tenancy agreements of up to five years and flexible deposit options, the initiative has been carefully designed to help people secure homes that best suit their needs.”
Scale against need
The launch comes as Northern Ireland faces acute housing pressures. Official statistics published in May 2026 revealed that more than 50,000 households remain on the social housing waiting list, with over 33,000 classified as “full duty applicants”—effectively homeless and awaiting rehousing. The waiting list has grown by more than 30% over the past decade.
Against this backdrop, the initial 300 homes represent a modest intervention. The Housing Supply Strategy 2024-2039 commits to delivering 100,000 homes over 15 years, with one-third designated as social housing and an increased supply of intermediate homes. However, with only 206 social housing completions recorded in the quarter ending September 2025, questions remain about the pace of construction required to meet these targets.
Critical questions
While the Affordable Rent programme introduces a welcome third tenure option, several considerations merit scrutiny:
- Impact at scale: With 50,000 households on waiting lists, will 300 intermediate rent homes create meaningful relief, or merely shift pressure between tenure types?
- Market rent benchmarks: How will the Department verify that the 20% discount is calculated against genuine local market rates, particularly in areas with limited rental stock?
- Long-term security: What protections exist for tenants when five-year tenancies expire, and how will rent increases be capped beyond the initial discount period?
- Geographic equity: With Belfast delayed until “future years” while smaller towns receive initial allocations, how will the Department ensure urban housing need receives proportional attention?
- Resource allocation: Does the reliance on FTC loans for intermediate rent risk diverting political attention and policy energy from the urgent need for additional social housing construction?
What happens next
The Dungannon development will serve as a pilot for the Intermediate Rent model. The Department for Communities has indicated that the scheme will expand based on demand and delivery performance, with further details on application processes to be confirmed closer to launch.
More information on the Intermediate Rent policy is available on the Department for Communities website.