Pennycook retains housing role as new ministers join MHCLG

News09 Sep 2025Sarah Williams

Matthew Pennycook has confirmed he will remain in post as housing minister following the recent government reshuffle, while a number of new appointees have joined his department.

Matthew Pennycook remains in the cabinet as housing minister (picture: Richard Townshend)

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Pennycook retains housing role as new ministers join MHCLG #UKhousing

Matthew Pennycook will remain in post as housing minister following the recent government reshuffle, while a number of new appointees have joined his department #UKhousing

Writing on social media on Sunday 7 September, Mr Pennycook said he was “delighted” to remain in post as the minister for housing and planning.

The moves follow a major reshuffle of Sir Keir Starmer’s government following the resignation of housing secretary and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner on Friday 5 September. As previously reported, Ms Rayner was replaced as housing secretary by former environment secretary Steve Reed later the same day.

The other appointments to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) were made on Sunday.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, previously minister for energy consumers and former chief executive of the New Economics Foundation thinktank, has also joined. As in her previous role at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the MP for Peckham takes up a position of parliamentary under-secretary of state at MHCLG.

Finally, Samantha Dixon takes on her first departmental ministerial role as a parliamentary under-secretary of state. The MP for Chester North and Neston served as a government whip for the past year.

Social Housing has asked MHCLG for clarity on the briefs of the new incumbents, specifically who will be replacing the posts held by Alex Norris as building safety minister, who has left to join the Home Office; Jim McMahon as local government and English devolution minister, who left the government on Saturday; and Rushanara Ali as homelessness minister, who resigned last month.

Alongside Mr Pennycook, the only other minister remaining in post at MHCLG is Baroness Taylor of Stevenage, the Lords minister for housing and local government.

Writing on social media platform X on Sunday, Mr Pennycook said: “Delighted to remain in post as minister of state for housing and planning. Lots done, and lots more in the pipeline as we continue the work to tackle the housing crisis and ensure everyone has a safe, secure, decent and affordable home.”

Ms Fahnbulleh also tweeted to her followers: “Excited to be joining the team at MHCLG, to take forward the critical work of pushing power into our communities and unlocking local economic growth.”

She said it had been “an honour to be part of the fantastic team” at DESNZ. “Proud to have delivered vital energy bill support for six million homes and kick-started our Warm Homes Plan to make millions of homes warmer and cheaper to run.”

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