Boris Johnson announces housing reform in comeback speech

Working people in England will soon be allowed to spend housing benefit on mortgage payments. Boris Johnson said the reform would “turn benefits to bricks” – as part of a new scheme giving housing association tenants the right to buy their homes at a discounted price.

He said the government would refund housing associations so they could build a new house for each one sold – a pledge that could cost billions.

And he promised more reforms to help people face the economic headwinds that he admitted the country was steering into.