The Tories should be building at least 30,000 new affordable homes each year. Last year they built less than 6,000.

This morning’s social housing green paper is a “missed opportunity”, according to angry housing campaigners who have pointed out that it doesn’t include any plans to build more homes, despite the enormous shortfall in social housing.

In order to meet demand the government must build at least 30,000 new homes for social rent each year, but the Tories have actually been building fewer than 6,000 a year, intensifying the crisis.

Tens of thousands of homeless families are left in temporary accomodation each year as a result, with this number predicted to soar to 100,000 within two years.

Yet the Tories sought to appease the public today with a headline grabbing policy to give social tenants more power to challenge ‘rogue landlords’ – a welcome measure, but one that will do little to help people who desperately need affordable accomodation but are told there isn’t any available for them.

While charities the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and Shelter said they approved of measures to tackle stigma and empower social housing tenants, they said the new policies would not work unless the government invest in building more social housing.

Shelter said the paper was “full of warm words but doesn’t commit a single extra penny towards building the social homes that are desperately needed”.

The JRF added: “The Government promised a top-to-bottom review of social housing, however today’s Green Paper does little to address the fundamental lack of low-cost rented homes in England.”

Today’s Social Housing Green Paper is a missed opportunity to tackle the lack of low-cost rented homes in England. https://t.co/pP1hjtPNt1 #ukhousing #morehomes pic.twitter.com/PfHlnDG9X5 — Joseph Rowntree Fdn. (@jrf_uk) August 14, 2018

Labour politicians also pointed out that the paper, which was announced by housing minister James Brokenshire following the Grenfell fire tragedy and has been eagerly anticipated for months, completely missed the point.

It’s only Tuesday and the government has already announced a homelessness strategy and a social housing green paper with no new money for homelessness or social housing. pic.twitter.com/Ze7BkYvwRG — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) August 14, 2018

Shadow housing secretary John Healey told the Guardian the proposals were “pitiful” and said they failed to tackle the crucial question of a lack of supply.

He told the newspaper: “The number of new social rented homes is at a record low but there is no new money to increase supply and ministers are still preventing local authorities run by all parties from building the council homes their communities need.”

Charlotte England is a journalist based in London. Follow her on Twitter.

As you’re here, we have something to ask you. What we do here to deliver real news is more important than ever. But there’s a problem: we need readers like you to chip in to help us survive. We deliver progressive, independent media, that challenges the right’s hateful rhetoric. Together we can find the stories that get lost.

We’re not bankrolled by billionaire donors, but rely on readers chipping in whatever they can afford to protect our independence. What we do isn’t free, and we run on a shoestring. Can you help by chipping in as little as £1 a week to help us survive? Whatever you can donate, we’re so grateful - and we will ensure your money goes as far as possible to deliver hard-hitting news.