en.Wedoany.com Reported - Research released by the UK housing charity Shelter shows that at the current rate of construction, it would take 119 years to clear the waiting list for social housing in England. Currently, over 1.3 million households are waiting for social housing, while only 12,198 social homes were delivered across England last year, meaning for every home built, 110 households are waiting.
The survey found that over the past 15 years, the annual construction of social rented homes has fallen by 64%, while the number of homeless families in temporary accommodation has increased by 155% over the same period. In 20% of council areas in England, no social housing has been built in the past two years; in 30% of areas, fewer than 10 homes were built. In 1967, social housing accounted for 46% of new homes built in England, with 97% provided by councils, far exceeding current construction levels.
Shelter points out that the £29 billion housing debt transferred from central government to local authorities in 2012 is a key factor restricting councils from building new social housing. The charity says that repaying interest on the debt limits construction capacity and forces councils to sell more homes through the right-to-buy scheme than they can replace. Sarah Elliott, Chief Executive of Shelter, said that unless the shortage of social housing is addressed, communities will continue to be torn apart, and children will face homelessness for generations to come. Suzanne Muna, Secretary and co-founder of the Social Housing Action Campaign, described this as "a systemic failure of successive governments" that has been exploited by private landlords and housing associations, who convert traditional family homes into temporary accommodation to rent to councils at high prices. The shift to converting properties into temporary accommodation is similar to developments such as the introduction of landlord licensing schemes in some areas.
The government has pledged to build 300,000 social and affordable homes, with 60% for social rent—amounting to 180,000 homes—roughly six times the number built in the decade to 2024. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that the Social Housing Bill will address the sell-off that has led to a waiting list of over one million households and give councils the confidence to build at scale. The plan is backed by a £39 billion social and affordable housing program. Shelter and a coalition of councils are calling for the £29 billion housing debt to be written off or reduced to boost construction.
The shortage of social housing impacts the private rental sector, as households unable to secure social housing remain in or enter the private market. Councils are increasingly relying on renting temporary accommodation from private landlords, which is becoming a growing expense for local authorities. Data shows that without a significant increase in social housing construction or reform of council financing structures, the waiting list will continue to grow, potentially affecting housing affordability and availability across multiple market segments.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
