She was appointed late into Monday night, as Andy Burnham continued his reshuffle of the cabinet.
Rayner previously held the role from 2024 to 2025. She resigned after the scandal that followed the underpayment of stamp duty on an £800,000 property she bought in May 2025. Her tax bill has since been settled with HM Revenue and Customs.
Maria Harris, chair of the Open Property Data Association (OPDA), spoke of Rayner’s commitment to and experience with the housing sector.
Harris said: “Angela Rayner’s return to the housing brief should be welcomed across the sector. She has a strong understanding of the challenges facing the housing market, a genuine passion for housing policy, and had already begun building constructive relationships with industry stakeholders before leaving the role. That existing knowledge and engagement should allow her to hit the ground running.
“At a time when the housing market needs confidence and certainty, the priority must be stability and continuity. We would particularly welcome the continued leadership and support of Baroness Taylor and Victoria Latham at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), whose experience and understanding of the housing reform agenda will be invaluable in maintaining momentum and ensuring progress is not lost during the transition.”
Echoing this sentiment, Nick Leeming, chairperson of Jackson-Stops, commented: “Angela Rayner returns to the housing brief with understanding of both the scale of the challenge and the policies already in motion. Her immediate task must be to maintain momentum and turn those proposals into practical improvements for buyers and sellers.
“Our latest research suggests that greater certainty over home-moving timelines could unlock more than 260,000 owner-occupied homes across England within less than a year. The government’s proposed reforms to improve upfront information, reduce delays and give people greater confidence earlier in the transaction process therefore have the potential to make a meaningful difference.
Nick Sanderson, CEO of Audley Group, commented on the ongoing housing crisis, citing the shift in focus needed for older homeowners: “To solve this crisis, we cannot focus solely on first-time buyers or stimulating demand at the start of the ladder. New builds alone are not enough – the government must treat the market holistically and unlock the vast capacity within our existing housing stock.
“Millions of older adults live in under-occupied family homes and want to downsize, but a lack of high-quality later-living options and tax friction keeps them stuck. When an older homeowner moves into dedicated retirement housing, it triggers a vital chain reaction – freeing up a family home for a growing household, who in turn vacate the exact inventory a first-time buyer needs. 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.”
Pennycook retains role as minister
Matthew Pennycook remained in his role as housing minister in the ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), but will now also be an attending member of cabinet.
Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, commented: “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.
“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.
“We look forward to continued engagement with the UK government to help ensure its housing ambitions are practical, achievable and successful.”
