Pennycook stays on as minister of state for housing as Burnham cabinet takes shape
Angela Rayner has been reappointed Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government in the cabinet of new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, marking a notable return to one of the most prominent roles in the property sector less than a year after her resignation.
Rayner's reappointment was announced as Burnham formed his first cabinet following the resignation of Sir Keir Starmer. She replaces Steve Reed, who had held the position since September 2025. The housing secretary role has changed hands seven times in the past five years.
During her previous spell in the role, Rayner launched significant planning reforms, including the restoration of mandatory local housing targets and changes intended to release lower-quality "grey-belt" land for development. She was widely regarded as the driving force behind one of Labour's most ambitious planning reforms in a generation.
Rayner stepped down as deputy prime minister, deputy leader of the Labour Party, and housing secretary in September 2025 following an investigation into her stamp duty payments on a property in Hove, East Sussex. She had paid £40,000 less than the required surcharge by declaring the property as her main residence instead of a second home. She settled with HMRC in May of this year without having to pay a penalty, which would have been necessary if she had deliberately or carelessly failed to pay the tax.
Rayner, born in Stockport in 1980, has been the Member of Parliament for Ashton-under-Lyne since 2015. She is one of 12 Northern MPs to hold a place in Burnham's cabinet.
I am delighted to have accepted the position of Secretary of State at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) July 20, 2026
Andy Burnham's vision of good growth in every postcode demands we build on the foundations we have already laid to bring the change we have…
Michelle Niziol (pictured right), a property entrepreneur, acknowledged Rayner's familiarity with the housing brief while emphasising the need to restore confidence. "Angela Rayner knows the challenges facing renters, landlords and homeowners, so she can get straight to work," she said. "Given the circumstances in which she previously left the role, she needs to rebuild confidence - by bringing knowledge, transparency and consistency.
"Housing is one of the biggest challenges facing the country. We need more homes, including genuinely affordable ones, and a planning system that works faster for developers of all sizes. A healthy rental market matters too, so responsible landlords need the confidence to stay invested. Good-quality homes, whether to buy or rent, need to be accessible to more people. We need an approach that understands and considers the whole housing market rather than addressing each issue in isolation."
"The new housing [secretary], Angela Rayner, has a real job to do to solve a system under intense pressure," added Nick Sanderson (pictured right), chief executive of Audley Group. "While the Burnham government's pledge for a major post-war-scale housebuilding programme is ambitious, the UK still faces a massive shortfall against its 1.5 million target.
"To solve this crisis, we cannot focus solely on first-time buyers or stimulating demand at the start of the ladder. High-quality later living is the missing piece of the puzzle, and if this new government continues to ignore that fact, it will only cause our housing targets to drift further off track."
Meanwhile, Matthew Pennycook (pictured above) remains as Minister of State for Housing and Planning, a position he has held since 6 July 2024.
Born in Hammersmith in 1982 and raised in South London, Pennycook attended local state schools before becoming the first in his family to attend university. He read History and International Relations at the London School of Economics, graduating with first-class honours, and later completed an MPhil at Balliol College, Oxford. He had served as shadow housing minister since 2021 prior to his appointment.
Industry body Propertymark expressed support for continuity at the ministerial level, pointing to the volume of housing legislation already in progress.
"Propertymark looks forward to further constructive engagement with Matthew Pennycook as Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as part of Andy Burnham's newly formed cabinet," said Nathan Emerson (pictured right), chief executive of Propertymark.
"With significant housing legislation already underway and a commitment to deliver 1.5 million new homes across England, housing reform remains a key priority. Improving the home buying and selling process and introducing a robust regulatory framework for property agents must be at the forefront from day one."
Burnham has already signalled that housing policy will take a new direction under his leadership, stating during a speech in Manchester last month that his government would oversee "the biggest council house building programme since the post-war period."
Industry figures have welcomed the new ministerial team but urged it to adopt a broader view of the housing market than has been applied previously.
Want to be regularly updated with mortgage news and features? Get exclusive interviews, breaking news, and industry events in your inbox – subscribe to our FREE daily newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.
