Osborne plans 'big expansion' in affordable homes The Chancellor, George Osborne has outlined his plans to increase the availability of affordable housing in 2014. This would include reforms to the social housing programme and the building of "tens of thousands" of new homes. It comes as the government prepares to launch the second phase of the Help to Buy scheme on 1 January. Mr Osborne told BBC Radio 5 live's Wake Up to Money: "I want to see a big increase in the housing available to people in this country."