More than 130,000 young households are currently stuck the on social housing waiting lists in England, forming a backlog that would take more than six years to clear at current rates, a new report has found.
Youth homelessness charity Centrepoint, which published the findings, says the housing system is forcing young people to “put their lives on hold” as the number and quality of social homes available is insufficient.
Chloe Harris, was on her local social housing list for four years before moving into charity-funded supported accommodation having never received an offer.
The 25-year-old says one of the most difficult parts of the process was trying to bid for social housing, as her band C priority level – near lowest – left her in a state of constant uncertainty.
“When you bid, it goes live at midnight on Wednesday. You stay up late because you want to see your position,” she said.
“It was telling me I was second in a queue, and then I’d wake up the next morning and I’m 43rd. How does that happen? It gives you false hope when your mental health is already at rock bottom.”
Ms Harris, who experienced street homelessness after suffering financial abuse, has now begun volunteering with homelessness charity Alabare, which previously provided her with supported accommodation.
She added that her local authority’s requirement to “prove” she was homelessness was one of the most hardest parts of her experience.
“To have to prove you are sleeping on the street… you lose every sense of self-respect possible. It can be the tipping point for a lot of people,” she said.
The Centrepoint report, which analysed official data and Freedom of Information requests, points to a stark mismatch between the housing available and the needs of young applicants.
While nearly half (48 per cent) of all young applicants require one-bedroom properties, this matches only 24 per cent of the current social housing stock. This deficit means that, even if young people are able to rise through the waiting list, there is too often nowhere for them to go.
Centrepoint’s research also found that:
- Two-thirds (66 per cent) of young people now living in social housing said they were at risk of homelessness
- One in three young people report that discrimination has blocked them from private rentals
- There has been a 10 per cent fall in HMO registered landlords since 2019/20 – the most common type of accommodation for young people
Ella Nuttall, Centrepoint’s policy and research manager, said: “Young people should be able to take safe, stable housing for granted. It’s the foundation for everything else in life. Without it, the risk of repeated homelessness, poor mental health, and long-term disadvantage increases.
“The wait between requesting support and getting it is simply too long. We’re effectively asking young people to put their lives on hold here: at a time when most of their peers are starting work and exploring the world around them, young people in housing crisis are trapped in temporary accommodation or worse.”
Labour has pledged to build 1.5 million homes by 2029 to boost affordability and tackle homelessness, and 180,000 social homes by 2036. There are currently 1.3 million people on a waiting list for social housing.
However, experts say that the government’s social home target falls far short of what is required. Housing charity Shelter has called on the government to build 90,000 social homes a year for a decade to make up for the net loss of 260,000 seen in the 10 years to 2022/23.
Ms Nuttall added: “The government are making the right noises when it comes to prevention and support – but it’s increasing the level of housebuilding, including the building of suitable social homes, that will transform things. Without that, too many young people will continue facing homelessness and excluded from stable housing and the opportunity to move forward with their lives.”
The government was approached for comment.
