We urgently need good quality, affordable housing. In England, the average home costs nearly 8 times the median average salary . Over 1 in 6 young adults are living in unfit homes, where hazards like overcrowding, damp and mould are alarmingly common. Over 350,000 people are homeless. We need to build.

However, often new developments begin with little input from the wider community. Private developers make large profits, while the needs of the local area become an afterthought.

It doesn't need to be this way.

Community-led housing models - like housing co-ops and community land trusts - offer a real alternative. With these models, new homes are built, shaped and stewarded by the people who will live in and around them.

Community-led housing prioritises long-term affordability, sustainability and community wellbeing rather than distant shareholders.

Community-led housing is about more than just owning a home; it's about owning the process. It's about giving people the power to shape the places they live, and creating housing that works for communities, not against them.

The Co-operative Party are launching a new campaign to put community-led housing on the agenda. Will you sign and show your support today?