Publications and Research

The latest Government data shows over 238,000 properties in England have stood empty for more than six months, while total vacancy now stands at over 665,000 (excluding 253,000 so-called 'second homes'). We analyse official data and research effective solutions, producing the only comprehensive analysis.

For the latest fact and figures click here

For media enquiries click here

Latest Publications

You can download our latest publications here. These include 'Pretty Vacant Manchester' our new examination of vacancy and housing policy in the city at the heart of the so-called Northern Powerhouse; 'Nobody's Home' our September 2021 report on London's housing crisis and its relationship to development and vacancy; and its predecessor 'Pretty Vacant '. A sister publication from our London wealth investment project, 'Homes Without Residents' (Jan 2020), looks at approaches to vacancy internationally.

In May 2021 we launched the second phase of our programme of work to support community-based approaches to bringing empty homes into use, our Community Action on Empty Homes Toolkit

This built on the learning from our three-year programme of work with community housing providers, reported in 'Community action on empty homes - Using empty homes to regenerate communities' - which was published in May 2019.

The first phase report on this programme is also available, entitled 'Community-based approaches in areas with high levels of empty homes'.

Empty Homes in England

A comprehensive analysis of the empty homes problem is England:

This is the only comprehensive independent analysis of Government's annual figures on empty homes. The 2019 Report reflects pre-pandemic trends, prior to the latest rise in numbers announced at the end 2020, but offers extensive commentary and explanation of the data, that report 'Empty Homes in England 2019' is available here for free download. For a summary of latest comprehensive data based on the 2020 Council Taxbase click here for 'Empty Homes in England 2020' (includes data for all regions and local council areas).

For the latest analysis of new figures as Government publishes these, see our media releases, here

You can read ComRes polling of MPs views about empty homes and the national housing crisis here

Types of publications:

We produce four types of publications:

1) Campaign publications which advocate for policy responses to end the waste of empty homes, for example: the work of the Coalition for Community Investment

2) Research and analysis on the empty homes issue: This includes our annual analysis of official Government data on empty homes, 'Empty Homes in England'

For the latest official data on empty homes number in local authorities in England click here

We also publish reports examining regional and local aspects of the issue and the factors underlying these, for example our 2016 report, based on our research with local authorities and communities ‘Empty Homes: Why do some areas have higher levels’ and the report from our investigation into London housing and wealth investment 'Homes Without Residents' (Jan 2020)

3) Project reports on practical solutions to the problem of empty homes such as 'Community action on empty homes - Using empty homes to regenerate communities'. and 'Community-based approaches in areas with high levels of empty homes'.

Or 'Affordable homes from empty commercial spaces'.

4) Toolkits to support those working in the field - the latest of these is our 2019 'Legal Toolkit: How to use the law to best effect to get empty homes back into use: a short guide on the legal options available to local authorities'

The Action on Empty Homes Legal Toolkit was produced with support from Devonshires.

Current publications:

Media enquiries:

For comment on our research or further information on the waste of empty homes, the solutions and our campaigns please click here - you can also access recent press releases and contact details via this link

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.

Regulating Airbnb: Approaches from Berlin, Barcelona and Amsterdam

Airbnb is having an impact all over the country, reducing the number of homes available for permanent residents, whether in desirable coastal and rural areas or the 1 in 50 homes in London. 'How have cities across Europe mitigated the impacts of Airbnb on housing markets? What can we learn from their experiences?' RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE ON YouTube
Estimating ‘buy to leave’ in Kensington & Chelsea

Data from the latest Council Taxbase reveals Kensington & Chelsea has one of the highest proportions of long-term empty homes in London. Furthermore, 10% of the borough's homes are classed as 'second homes'. Chujan Sivathasan uses data from Jonathan Bourne at UCL and draws on Dr Rex Atkinson's work on 'Anchoring Wealth: The grounded impact of international wealth chains on housing markets in London'
London Buy to Leave

The London 'buy to leave' and wealth investment project aims to start a public conversation about how wealth investment distorts London housing delivery, creating a housing market that does not meet Londoners' housing needs.

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.