Homelessness Rising in the UK as Demand for Affordable Housing Soars

At least 354,000 people are homeless in the UK, while 1.33 million households remain on waiting lists for affordable social housing.

📌 Despite the housing shortage, hundreds of thousands of properties stand empty and in disrepair.

📌 Some councils offer grants to owners to refurbish these homes, but interest remains low.

As of October 2024, government figures showed around 720,000 vacant homes across England, with 265,000 left empty for more than six months.

Abandoned properties often attract crime and antisocial behaviour, lowering the value of surrounding areas and creating fear among local residents. Renovating and bringing them back into use could significantly benefit communities.

The government previously launched an Empty Homes Programme, providing funds through two schemes. Between 2010 and 2016, the number of empty homes dropped by 20% to 590,000, while long-term vacancies fell by 33% to 200,000.

However, the programme was scrapped in 2016, leaving the responsibility to local councils. Today, only 77 of 245 councils continue offering grants or loans. Uptake has been so low that many councils ended their support altogether—partly because many homeowners remain unaware such schemes even exist.

Source: BBC News