A 27% decrease in social housing sales took place in 2023/2024, as reports reveal hundred-year long waiting lists for family social housing in a number of local authorities.
Polimapper’s visualisation shows that over 17k social housing sales were completed last year in England. Nonetheless, this falls short compared to the 24.2k sales made the year before.
According to updated statistics from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, in the beginning of the 21st century, sales for social dwellings began to decline, although they saw a slight recovery in 2013.
In 2023/2024, a sharp drop was registered again. The number of homes bought under the Right to Buy scheme, which allows tenants to buy their council home at a discount, decreased by 38%. Last year, only 8,656 sales through the scheme were made.
5.3k additional sales to sitting tenants were made, followed by 3.5k sales under low cost home ownership schemes.
Polimapper has visualised social housing sales data by local authority to show cross country disparities.
Birmingham has seen the highest number of social housing sales in the country, at 874. This was followed by Leeds (542) and Sheffield (367). Conversely, Maldon and Worthing were amongst the local authorities which registered less than five sales. Check out statistics in your area below.
About this map
The map below shows social housing sales and demolitions by local authorities and year.
To view statistics in your area double click on the map or click here to launch the full page version!
Geodata context
Yesterday, the National Housing Federation, Shelter and Crisis released an analysis which reveals over a hundred years’ waiting lists for family-sized social homes.
According to the report, several local authorities in England have waiting lists of over a hundred-years for social homes with 3 bedrooms or more.
The longest waiting lists are seen in Westminster, at 107 years, Enfield, 105 years, and Merton, 102 years. Outside of London, this is highest in Mansfield, 75.5 years and Slough, 74.3 years.
Due to a decline in the number of social houses available, the Labour government has announced £2 billion in new investment to support a boost in social and affordable housebuilding.
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation: “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. Security, stability and the space to learn and play is vital for a child’s development, yet we are allowing hundreds of thousands of children to grow up in damaging temporary homes, in cramped and poor-quality conditions and with little privacy. This is no way for a child to grow up and these children deserve better”
“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.”
Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis: “The consequences of failing to build anywhere near enough social homes are tens of thousands of children growing up homeless, restricted life chances and people trapped in poverty across generations.”
“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.”
Mairi MacRae, director of policy and campaigns at Shelter: “Decades of failure to build genuinely affordable social homes has left our housing system in tatters and trapped families in a relentless cycle of insecurity and homelessness. No child should grow up without a safe, stable home, but today, more than 164,000 children are spending their formative years in damaging and often dangerous temporary accommodation.”
“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.”