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The Liberal Democrats say the increase in the numbers living in temporary
accommodation indicated a ‘broken’ housing market. Photograph: Jane
Williams/Alamy
The Liberal Democrats say the increase in the numbers living in temporary
accommodation indicated a ‘broken’ housing market. Photograph: Jane
Williams/Alamy
Housing



ENGLAND HAS ‘TWICE AS MANY EMPTY HOMES AS FAMILIES STUCK IN B&BS’

There are 121,327 in short-term housing, while 261,189 homes are empty
long-term, say Lib Dems



Peter Walker Deputy political editor
@peterwalker99
Sun 24 Dec 2023 12.00 ESTLast modified on Sun 24 Dec 2023 12.02 EST
 * 
 * 
 * 



England has more than twice as many long-term empty homes this Christmas as
there are children living in temporary accommodation, the Liberal Democrats have
said, calling this a stark indication of a “broken” housing market.

The numbers of families without a permanent home and in short-term housing,
whether hotels and B&Bs or temporary rental properties, has hit a record high
this year, with the latest statistics showing it now affects 121,327 children,
according to data collated by the House of Commons library.



Other figures, also compiled by the library, show that councils across England
have 261,189 homes that are classed as long-term vacant, meaning they have been
empty for six months or more.



While the empty properties do not all match where the children live, in 242 of
the 313 English local authorities the statistics showed more empty homes than
children in temporary accommodation.

Birmingham had the single-biggest number of children in temporary accommodation,
at just over 9,400, and also has nearly 6,400 long-term vacant homes.

Many of the councils with large numbers of children in B&Bs and short-term lets
are in London, including Newham (nearly 8,600) and Enfield (4,500). Another 11
London boroughs recorded between 4,100 and 2,300 children living this way.

Analysis of government data by the Observer this month showed that 4.4% of all
under-18s from London were living in temporary accommodation at the end of June,
rising as high as nearly 12% in Westminster and just over 10% in Newham and in
Kensington and Chelsea.

Helen Morgan, the Lib Dems’ housing spokesperson, said: “It is heartbreaking to
think so many children are going without a permanent place to call home this
Christmas, while thousands of houses lie empty.

“It’s a sign of just how broken the housing market has become under this
Conservative government. For years the government has utterly failed to build
the social and affordable housing we need, leaving far too many people without a
secure home.



“The Liberal Democrats would tackle the housing crisis, giving local authorities
the powers they need to take on big developers and deliver the affordable homes
that their communities need.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities,
said: “All children deserve a safe and decent place to call home. We’re spending
£1bn, to tackle homelessness and get families into permanent accommodation, and
we have reduced the number of long-term empty homes by more than 50,000 since
2010.

“We have given councils the power to increase council tax by up to 300% on
long-term empty properties, and take over empty homes by compulsory purchase
orders and empty dwelling management orders.

“We also recently laid out an ambitious long-term plan for housing and are on
track to deliver 1 million homes this parliament.”

Explore more on these topics
 * Housing
 * Liberal Democrats
 * Children
 * Homelessness
 * England
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