Five million on social housing waiting list by 2010

Reporter: David Bartlett (RoFTRA)
Date online: 20/05/2008

A report published by the Local Government Association - Councils and the housing crisis - written by council leaders warns that two million households or five million people could be on the waiting list for social housing within two years.

The report lists the developments pushing up the demand for social housing as:

• An increase from 1 million in 2001 to 1.6 million households on the waiting list last year - 4 million people
• House prices rising by 156% in 10 years while wages have risen by just 35%
• 40% of new mortgage offers withdrawn and deposits necessary to get a mortgage increased
• A 16% increase in repossessions compared with the same period last year
• Housing associations struggle to secure loans for new building due to credit crunch
• Local authority and housing association new build at its lowest since 1947.

The report calls on government to respond to the crisis by allowing councils to borrow on the open market in the same way as housing associations can and reform the way councils are allowed to fund their housing.