Advertisement
Housing

Social housing sales drop 30% as campaigners call for ‘serious investment’ in home building

The figures reveal the extent of the social housing crisis.

Campaigners have called for “serious investment” from the government as new figures showed a significant drop in the sale of social housing in the first year of the pandemic.

New figures show a 30 per cent decrease in the sale of social homes between 2020-2021. Of the 17,262 sales made, 42 per cent were local authority owned and 58 per cent were owned by private registered providers. The number of sales of social housing varies significantly across regions and is driven predominantly by the number of right to buy sales. 

“There are over a million households stuck on the waiting list for a social home, unsure of when or if they will ever get the chance of a secure home with a rent they can actually afford”, said Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, a leading charity campaigning to end bad housing and homelessness in the UK. 

In January a Lords housing committee said it was “vital” that more money is spent on building more affordable homes. This includes social housing, and urged the government to address shortages in skills and land to do so.

Many in immediate need of an affordable home are forced to rent privately until they can find an alternative. This is often far more costly and can push those struggling to keep up with rent into poverty. 

“We have been losing social homes to sales and demolitions far faster than we’re building new ones. Last year we built less than 6,000 new social homes and that just isn’t good enough. We need serious investment from the government for a new high-quality generation of social housing, or we will continue to see homes disappear while waiting lists grow” she said. 

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty
Advertisement

While less than 6,000 new social homes were built in the UK last year, the report highlights that nearly 4,000 social house dwellings were demolished.

“We are investing 11.5 billion in affordable housing – the largest investment in a decade which will deliver 180,000 homes should economic conditions allow,” a spokesperson for Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities told The Big Issue. 

“We are delivering affordable homes of a variety of tenures so that we can support a range of people in different circumstances and stages in their lives.”

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

Never miss an issue

Take advantage of our special subscription offer. Subscribe from just £9.99 and never miss an issue.

Recommended for you

Read All
Introduce inspections for temporary housing to stop children living in horror homes, Labour told
a child at the window of their home
Homelessness

Introduce inspections for temporary housing to stop children living in horror homes, Labour told

Tenants win more than £250,000 of rent back from billionaire landlord in five-year legal battle
Somerford Grove Renters in Hackney
Renting

Tenants win more than £250,000 of rent back from billionaire landlord in five-year legal battle

This is the devastating impact growing up in temporary accommodation has on children’s GCSE results
school children at desks
Education

This is the devastating impact growing up in temporary accommodation has on children’s GCSE results

Electric van to help charity deliver 50,000 meals to homeless people
Four people stand around an electric van
Homelessness

Electric van to help charity deliver 50,000 meals to homeless people

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue