Government Urged to Use Empty Houses to Combat Homelessness Crisis
Leading housing sector organisations have issued a strong call to the government, urging the immediate use of England's hundreds of thousands of empty homes to address the escalating homelessness and housing crisis. With over one million homes estimated to be unoccupied across the country, including more than 309,000 classified as long-term empty, the situation is dire. Concurrently, 1.3 million households remain on social housing waiting lists, highlighting a severe mismatch between housing supply and demand.
Joint Letter Demands National Strategy
A joint letter signed by 25 prominent organisations, such as Shelter and Big Issue, advocates for a comprehensive national strategy aimed at refurbishing 300,000 empty properties. The groups describe this approach as a quick, green, and cost-effective solution that could significantly alleviate housing shortages. They argue that bringing these homes back into use would not only provide shelter for those in need but also contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing the need for new construction.
Proposed Measures and Government Response
The proposed measures include implementing a fully-funded local authority duty to investigate and address empty homes, establishing a nationally funded loan scheme to support refurbishment efforts, and replacing the new homes bonus with incentives specifically for interventions on empty properties. In response, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has stated that it is actively working to strengthen local authorities' abilities to take over empty homes. Additionally, the ministry highlighted a substantial investment of £39 billion in social and affordable housing initiatives, aiming to boost overall housing availability and support vulnerable populations.
This call to action underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions in the face of a growing housing crisis, with empty homes presenting a viable opportunity to make a tangible impact on homelessness rates across England.
