It would take 1.4 million years to clear the backlog of northern families waiting for social housing if the housing market does not improve, the National Housing Federation has said.
A report from the NHF published shows that with more than 589,000 households on social housing waiting lists in the north of England, and an average wait of 4.4 years, it would take 1.4 million years for all the families to be housed. The waiting time is three times longer than a decade ago.
The Home Truths report reveals despite the world recession, housing in the north is still too expensive. In the past decade house prices have risen by 136 per cent in Yorkshire and Humberside, 133 per cent in the north east and 126 per cent in the north west.
Derek Long, northern director at the National Housing Federation, said: ‘Caught in an impossible can’t buy/can’t rent dilemma, northern families face life-changing years on social housing waiting lists. ‘With the lowest number of new homes for 90 years, the only things we are building up are long term problems for schooling, health and jobs.
‘The north desperately needs a strong social housing sector to help economic development. The government must act quickly so more affordable homes are built and empty homes are brought back
into use before the north’s broken housing market gets any worse.’
Average rents in the private sector are set to soar in the next five years across the North – by 13.9 per
cent in the north east, 18.7 per cent in the north west and 19.0 per cent in Yorkshire and Humberside.
Housing associations own more than 778,000 affordable homes in the north, providing housing for one in nine northern households. In 2010/11 they built or refurbished 9,519 homes.
The National Housing Federation is calling on the government to renew its commitment to building new homes and to restore the £300 million annual funding to regenerate inner-city neighbourhoods across the region.