Facts and figures

Action on Empty Homes publishes the most authoritative guide to empty homes data

See the numbers in your area for 2021 below - based on Government data published by MHCLG 10 Nov 2021.

See where most homes are out of use long-term across the country CLICK HERE - in almost a hundred local council areas at least one home in every 50 is out of use long-term and adding all vacants and second homes reveals that around 1 home in every 25 in England has nobody living in it.

In 2021 long-term empty homes numbers in London rose again - to see each borough's figures CLICK HERE

For an A to Z listing for all local council areas in England CLICK HERE - this sheet shows numbers of long-term empty homes, second homes (also known as 'furnished empties') and the total number of homes out of residential use in each area.

Each year Action on Empty Homes analyses the Government’s official data on long-term empty homes, producing the only comprehensive analysis of this data.

This is published as a report entitled ‘Empty Homes in England’

- the comprehensive 2019 edition including a broad discussion of data sources, consistency and recent trends can be downloaded here

- the most recent summary version for 2020 is here

Commentary on the 2021 data:

Our commentary on the 2021 data is here - this shows that the five year-trend is still one of steadily rising numbers of long-term empty homes, despite a worsening housing crisis.

The 2021 data is now now nearly 20% higher than it was in 2016 the year following the end of the last national Government Empty Homes Programme and the lowest point in the last decade.

Numbers of wasted long-term empty homes have risen from 200,145 in 2016 to 238,306 in 2021. This means numbers of wasted long-term empties are now at their highest level since 2012, if the exceptional rise during the housing market shutdown caused by the pandemic (2020 data) is ignored.

Pandemic impact:

Our commentary on the Council Taxbase 2020 figure for Long-term empty homes, which showed a fourth consecutive year on year rise by a massive pandemic-impacted 42,540 to 268,385 is here.

More data...

Where is the problem worst? CLICK HERE To view the 2020 data on long-term empty homes sorted by occurrence level (%) for every local authority in England, this also shows the annual rise (levels of empty homes rose in 9 out of ten local authorities in England - for our media release click here)

Where were the biggest rises? - To see the 2020 data ranked by change (rise or fall from the largest % rises to the biggest drops, at council level) CLICK HERE

For the numbers in your area for 2019 - based on Government data published Nov 2019 click here

To see what happened in your area in 2018 (two years ago) click here

You can read the our ComRes polling of MPs views about empty homes policy, published at the end of 2018 here

Government Statistics

Each year the government publishes data on vacant dwellings for each local authority and for England as a whole. This data is derived from local authority Council Taxbase data, which is a snapshot of the position in October each year.

To view the long-term empty homes data please go to table 615 vacant dwellings: you can access the latest Government statistical release from 11 November 2020 here

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants

We summarise the (2019) data by region and county and include numbers, change and levels for each local authority here

In last year's Empty Homes in England 2019 report published Monday 23rd September 2019 we also look at the prevalence of homes classified as 'second homes' if you are interested in this data you can see the levels by local authority, regionally and nationally, here

We advise reading the notes that come with the data before using the statistics. From Monday 23rd September 2019 our new edition of Empty Homes in England will also be available to shed light on the data.

If you would like to discuss this with us further please get in touch at [email protected]

For media enquiries please click here for details of how to contact the team and for further information

Latest

Job Advert: Project Support Officer at Action on Empty Homes Interested in housing and the need for a retrofit revolution?

Action on Empty Homes is looking for a part-time Project Support Officer to work for a minimum of 10 months on a project to investigate the feasibility of retrofitting long-term empty homes to help meet the climate challenge in three local authority areas. If the project is successful, then a further three-year initiative may follow. Deadline 12 June 11:59pm Start: August 2022 Salary: £30,000 plus pension pro-rata 17.5 hours per week
Government Proposes New Empty Homes and Second Homes Tax Powers - but is taxation enough?

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill published 11th May offers councils new powers to increase tax on empties after a year and double Council Tax on unused 'second homes'. But is this enough?
Our Pretty Vacant Manchester report asks is Manchester Building 'The Wrong Housing'

Action on Empty Homes new report supported by the Evan Cornish Foundation reports on work to examine vacancy levels and housing policy in Manchester and asks questions about the City's 'hidden empties', its persistently high level of so-called 'second homes' and the impact of Airbnb on access to housing.
Empty Homes Week 2022 showed the need for action and investment

Across the country Empty Homes Week 2022 saw councils showcase innovation as national voices called on Government to invest in the wasted opportunity empty homes represent - in order to expand housing supply and meet NetZero and energy price-rise challenges.

How do I find the owner of an abandoned property?

Action on Empty Homes does not have the capacity to assist individuals or property developers in locating the owners of individual empty properties, but we can access expert advice for you and there are a number of ways in which the owner may be located, these are listed here:
Facts and figures

Government publish data on vacant dwellings for each local authority and for England as a whole. Action on Empty Homes publishes the most authoritative guide to empty homes data and each year we analyse the official data on long-term empty homes, producing the only comprehensive analysis of this data.
Community Action on Empty Homes Toolkit

Our new Toolkit is designed to encourage partnerships between local councils and communities to bring empty homes back into use, to meet local housing needs.
National Empty Homes Week 2021 starts with call for action on massive rise in empties

National Empty Homes Week 15 – 21 Feb: Action on Empty Homes calls for Government action on escalating numbers of long-term empties . Numbers rose in 9 out of ten council areas. The 42,540 rise in 2020 was the fourth successive annual rise in numbers, but larger than the previous three years’ rises combined.
Massive 20% rise in empty homes up over 42,000 to 268,385 while 100,000 families are stuck in Temporary Accommodation

Government data released today shows a massive year on year rise of over 42,000 to a total of 268,385 long-term empty homes in England, as nearly 100,000 families languish in temporary accommodation. This is the biggest rise since current records began.
October 9th 2021 Day of Action - We are in a climate, health and housing emergency!

On Saturday 9th October 2021 the Campaign Against Empty Homes, a coalition Action on Empty Homes is part of, held a national Day of Action to highlight the waste of empty homes across England. You can watch it on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/JpnSAtEDZS4
London empty homes mapped

An interactive map showing London's empty homes by Borough alongside the costs of accommodation for homeless Londoners
Current Projects

From our new toolkit for community-led empty homes projects to work tackling wealth investor ‘buy to leave’ and the Global Empty Homes Network; and a national coalition calling on Government to invest to save.
Why empty homes matter

There are over 238,000 homes long-term empty when over 100,000 families languish in insecure and unsuitable Temporary Accommodation at a cost of over £1billion a year. Bringing long-term empty homes back into use helps rebuild neighbourhoods and makes environmental sense.
The solutions

We believe in community-led action to tackle empty homes, encouraged by active local authorities to support grassroots initiatives, underpinned by a government investment strategy to bring long-term empties back into use.