The 2024 council taxbase data shows that Empty Homes have risen again
Over 265,000 homes officially empty long-term, with total out of use now 998,784
The Council Taxbase 2024 data released by the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities and analysed by Action on Empty Homes shows a rise of 4,587 to 265,061.
Key Points:
Rise of over 32% since the end of the last national Government Empty Homes Programme in 2016
Biggest rise in long-term empties was in Kingston upon Thames up 152% to nearly 2,000 while the borough also saw a rise of 34% in second homes leaving one home in every 24 out of residential use long-term
Nationally, Second homes not in residential use rose FASTER than long-term empties to 280,000
Haringey in London which 2 years ago reported NONE saw a 43% increase to over 1,500 with around 1 home in 30 out of use
The largest rise in second homes was a rise of nearly 1000% in Newcastle under Lyme, while Wandsworth in London came next with a 144% rise - possibly reflecting the council's new leadership having a more robust approach to determining actual use of housing.
Overall housing supply in the council data saw 213,366 MORE dwellings in October 2024 as against 2023
While this puts 300,000 housing targets into perspective its also notable that this is a total after demolitions and losses to airbnbs flipped to paying business rates
Director of Action on Empty Homes, Rebecca Moore, said,
“Every year we see more homeless families and more homes standing empty, this is why a new Government needs to make a change. We can’t keep on putting more families in unsuitable temporary accommodation for longer periods of time, whilst so many homes sit wasted. It’s particularly shocking to see big rises in London where so many homeless families originate.
“After more than a decade of intense housing crisis, people are asking how long-term empty homes in England can keep on rising, whilst 117,000 families and over 151,000 children are trapped in Temporary Accommodation, costing the nation TWO billion pounds a year.”
“A new national empty homes programme is long overdue. What Action on Empty Homes, Crisis and Shelter are all calling for is a strategic and targeted approach to our national housing emergency to see homes brought into use to alleviate the worst impacts of homelessness FAST – government needs to respond adequately and offer funding and incentives to get these homes back into use because this will save public money and transform the lives of homeless families”
“Long-term empties are a missed opportunity to invest in and learn from retrofitting. Retrofitting empties is cheaper, faster and greener than building new homes, creating energy efficient homes, and building local skills”.
“Action on Empty Homes calls on Government to introduce a new national empty homes programme to create additional housing supply for those in most housing need, utilising properties currently left vacant or in need of renovation. Homeless families can’t wait ten years and two terms of Government to see New Towns built, they need the housing they have been promised in their own communities now.”
[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/council-taxbase-2024-in-england
