Over 100-year wait for family-sized social home in some parts of England: ‘It’s a national scandal’

Families on social housing waiting lists in some parts of England face waiting more than a century to get a suitable social home, new research has found.

The National Housing Federation, Shelter and Crisis have warned waiting lists for three-plus bedroom social homes are so high in the London boroughs of Westminster (107 years), Enfield (105 years) and Merton (102 years) that they exceed average life expectancy.

Outside of London, the longest waits are in Mansfield and Slough at 75 years and 74 years respectively, ahead of Solihull, Bolton and Broxbourne where the wait is relatively short at below three decades.  

But in 32 local authorities across England the wait for a family-sized social home is now longer than an entire childhood.

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The three housing organisations have called on the government to boost investment in social housing at June’s spending review in a bid to tackle the escalating homelessness and housing crises.

The experts across the housing sector have continually called for at least 90,000 social homes to be built each year to meet demand – over 10 times current rates.

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “The fact that families in so many parts of the country face waiting lists for an affordable home longer than their children’s entire childhood is a national scandal.

“The social housing sector has faced years of withdrawal of vital funding. The upcoming spending review is the opportunity for the government to rebuild the capacity of the social housing sector and commit the investment and the change that is needed, creating a better future for our children and ending homelessness for good.”

A record number of people are living in temporary accommodation across England with 164,040 children now growing up without a stable home – double the number in 2012.

A failure to build enough social homes, as well the loss of housing stock sold off through the Right to Buy scheme, has driven a rise in homelessness. A total of 1.3 million households are currently on social housing waiting in England with the number of families increasing by 37% in the last decade.

Meanwhile, a lack of social housing has seen more families turn to the costly private rented sector. Analysis by Shelter shows that social rents are 69% more affordable than private rents, with social tenants in England paying on average £947 less per month in rent than private tenants.

The organisations warned the government is spending £13.5bn a year more on housing costs than in 2010 off the back of increased spending on temporary accommodation.

Building more social housing could add £50bn to the economy, reducing costs across government departments and creating jobs, Shelter found.  

Mairi MacRae, director of policy and campaigns at Shelter, said: “Childhoods are being lost to homelessness and it’s costing the country billions. The June spending review is the government’s chance to right this wrong. By committing to serious investment in social housing – building 90,000 social homes a year for a decade – we can end the housing emergency, save public money, and give every child the foundation they need to thrive.”

The government has set a target of building 1.5 million homes while in power, although it has not set a figure for the number of social rent homes to be built.

Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts at the Spring Statement suggested that the government is on course to fall below that milestone.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a £2bn investment to build 18,000 affordable and social homes at the budget.

The government is set to announce more housebuilding funding at June’s spending review with long-term strategies for housing and homelessness to follow.

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said: “It’s ludicrous that in some areas of the country the wait for a social home is more than average life expectancy. This must spur action at the upcoming spending review.

“Government must commit to building social housing at scale and provide the necessary investment so that we can create a stronger society where everyone has the foundation of a safe home. With political will and ambition, we can end homelessness.”

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