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Just one social home delivered for every 175 households on waiting lists
More than one million households sat on social housing waiting lists at the end of March this year while fewer than 7,000 social homes were built by the year end, newly released government figures show.
Figures released today by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) show that 1.15 million households sat on social housing waiting lists at the end 2020/21, while figures released last week show that 6,566 new social homes were delivered at 2020/21 year end.
This means just one social home was delivered for every 175 families on council housing waiting lists across the country.
The number of households on social housing waiting lists in 2019/20 was 1% lower than the 1.16 million households on social housing waiting lists in 2018/19, while the number of social homes delivered increased slightly by 4%.
However, the number of social rent homes delivered in 2019/20 still represented a 80% decline over the past decade, while 51% of local authorities saw no new social rent homes delivered in 2019/20.
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Research by the charity Shelter has also revealed that 253,000 people are living in temporary accommodation in England – the highest figure for 14 years.
The charity’s analysis shows that the number jumped by 6,000 in the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It warned that the number of people experiencing homeless is likely to be higher than official figures suggest, as many people who are sleeping rough or sofa-surfing will not be documented by councils.
As part of this research, the charity also conducted in-depth interviews with 21 homeless families and individuals living in temporary accommodation. Key themes that emerged included isolation and struggling to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic due to an inability to socially distance.
More than a third of those interviewed said they struggled to prepare food and eat properly during lockdown, because their cooking facilities were inadequate, while others reported being unable to wash themselves or do laundry because their washing facilities were unhygienic or inadequate.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Over a quarter of a million people – half of them children – are homeless and stuck in temporary accommodation.
“This should shame us all. With this deadly virus on the loose, 2020 has taught us the value of a safe home like never before. But too many are going without because of the chronic lack of social homes.
“Many people will spend Christmas in grim, dangerous places, cut off from loved ones and faced with a daily struggle to eat or keep clean. As the country continues to reel from the financial shockwaves caused by the pandemic, our services will do all they can to support those battling homelessness.
“This year has been unbelievably tough, but with the public’s generous support, we will do our best to give hope and help to everyone who needs us.”
Inside Housing has approached MHCLG for comment.
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