More than 5,000 construction jobs will be created due to plans to build over 2,000 new council houses, according to housing minister John Healey.

Healey said that 47 councils, covering every region of the country, will receive a share of £127m government funding to help build these homes. They will match funding bringing total investment to over £250m as part of the Prime Minister’s £1.5bn Housing Pledge announced in Building Britain’s Future in June.