More than 300,000 London households on waiting lists for social housing

More than 323,000 households in London are on social housing waiting lists, a number that is over twice the population of Cambridge.

A new report by Centre for London, in partnership with the G15, which represents London’s largest housing associations, revealed that Londoners are waiting an average of over five years for a three-bedroom social housing property in the capital.

For smaller homes the wait is also significant, with an average of waiting time of two years and three months for studios and one-bedroom properties.

East London has the highest combined waiting list total of any area in London, more than North, South and West London put together.

People living in East London can expect to wait five years and nine months for a three-bed property, which is more than double the length of time a household in South London would expect to wait for a similar property, two years and three months on average.

This comes as a new report by the Local Government Association (LGA) revealed that London councils are spending £4m a day on temporary accommodation.

National Housing Federation analysis from 2021 indicated that a quarter of a million people (257,094) in London had housing needs that would be best met by social housing. 

>> See also: Why rent convergence needs to be part of any new social housing rent settlement

>> See also: LGA refutes claims councils are sitting on £8bn in unspent builder funds

To meet this need, London would need to deliver 33,000 new homes for social rent annually for 15 years.

With current delivery at a fraction of this level (between 2020/21 and 2022/23, only 1,148 social rented homes were delivered),Centre for London and the G15 are calling for a boost to the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) of up to £15.1bn a year.

In addition to the increased AHP funding, the report said the government needs to provide a long-term rent settlement for social housing landlords and end the right to buy scheme.

Another report by the LGA, Savills, the National Federation of ALMOs and Association of Retained Council Housing published yesterday stated that even with a 10-year CPI + 1% rent settlement over the next 30 years, councils will face a shortfall of between £6bn and £7bn over the next five to ten years.

Antonia Jennings, chief executive at Centre for London, said: “The figures revealed in our research are stark. The reality is Londoners are being left for years, sometimes decades, before being allocated a suitable socially rented home.”

Jennings added: “This level of uncertainty, and long periods living in inadequate housing, can have real consequences on physical and mental health.

“The effects are felt across our city, with inadequate housing for Londoners linked to our temporary accommodation crisis, falling family rates in the capital, through to our productivity crisis and status as a successful global city.”

Fiona Fletcher-Smith, chief executive of L&Q and chair of the G15, said: “Every affordable home adds economic and social value for Londoners and London, from better outcomes for residents to savings to essential services.

“The G15 remains committed to working collaboratively to ensure that every Londoner has access to safe and affordable housing. However, we cannot achieve this alone.”

Fletcher-Smith said the G15 was calling on government to provide a 10-year rent settlement guarantee with a rent convergence mechanism, increase investment in the Affordable Housing Programme, and unlock the Building Safety Fund for housing associations.

She added: “These actions will enable us to start building the homes that Londoners desperately need.”