UK: Councils not building enough homes; crisis deepens

News

The majority of local authorities in England have failed to build a single council home in the past five years, according to an analysis reported by The Independent. 

This comes as more than 1.2 million families are on waiting lists for properties. 

In 2021/22, only a third of local authorities completed any new build homes, and more than half of councils did not build a single house during that year. 

The government claims to be on track to fulfill its promise to build one million new homes for buyers, but there are concerns that rising rents are pricing many people out of the housing market. 

The waiting list for council homes has increased by over 88,000 households in five years. 

Councils cite a lack of funding and restrictive measures as reasons for their struggle to build more homes for social rent. 

More from the Independent here.