Statistics on vacant dwellings in England and in each local authority district are published in the Ministry\u2019s live table 615 (attached) which is available at the following link. This table shows the annual total numbers of empty homes and those vacant longer than six months and also vacants in the local authority, housing association and other public sector tenures.<\/p>
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants<\/a><\/p> The number of long-term vacant dwellings across England remains lower than when records began.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/917779/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "180607 Live table 615 HL8373.xlsx"}
, "title" : "Table 615"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-06-12T16:36:01.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-06-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to publish regularly the numbers of unoccupied homes in each English local authority area.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"}
], "uin" : "HL8373"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/916544", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/916544/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We continue to support local authorities to encourage efficient use of our existing stock, making best use of homes that have been empty long term. Local authorities have powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. Through the New Homes Bonus, they earn the same financial reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one. The Ratings (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill will permit a charge of up to 200 per cent of normal council tax on properties that have been empty for two years or more, instead of the current limit of 150 per cent. Great progress has been made in recent years and the number of empty homes stands at its lowest since records began. At May 2010, over 300,000 homes in England had been standing empty for longer than 6 months. As of October 2017, the number of long term empty properties had fallen to 205,293.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-06-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-06-11T16:32:16.41Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-06-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking, or planning to take, to address the concentration of empty homes in low-value housing markets, with specific regard to the housing markets in (1) northern England, and (2) coastal communities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL8250"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/916545", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/916545/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Tackling empty homes is essential to making the best use of the homes we already have. The Government has ensured that local authorities have powers and strong incentives to bring empty homes back in to use, and the number of empty homes has fallen to just over 200,000, down from 300,000 in 2010. These incentives and powers include the New Homes Bonus and the 50% council tax premium for homes empty for two years or longer. We have brought forward legislation that will double the maximum premium rate to 100%. We are also fully committed to delivering more of the right homes in the right places to fix the broken housing market. Our ambitious package of long term reforms puts us on track to create a housing market that delivers 300,000 homes a year on average by the middle of the next decade.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-06-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-06-14T16:48:35.563Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-06-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what priority they place on the redevelopment of empty homes over new builds.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL8251"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/872772", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/872772/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Housing is a devolved matter in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.<\/p> The Government is committed to reducing the number of long-term empty homes to increase the supply of housing.<\/p> In England, the number of long-term empty homes is down by nearly a third since 2010. At May 2010 over 300,000 homes had been standing empty for longer than 6 months. As of October 2017 the number of long term empty properties had fallen to 205,293.<\/p> Local authorities in England have powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes, and through the New Homes Bonus they earn the same financial reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one.<\/p> The Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill, which was introduced on 28 March, proposes to strengthen the powers available to local authorities to tackle empty homes in England. Local authorities will be able to charge a 100 per cent council tax premium (currently 50 per cent) to homes that have been empty for at least two years.<\/p> Local authorities in England also have a discretionary power under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to deal with derelict land and buildings.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4483", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rishi Sunak"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Richmond (Yorks)"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Rishi Sunak"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-04-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-04-05T15:59:19.71Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure there are no derelict houses in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Simpson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Upper Bann"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "David Simpson"}
], "uin" : "134585"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/868412", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/868412/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government currently has no plans to requisition empty homes that have been used for speculation or money laundering for this specific purpose.<\/p> We are continuing to support local authorities to encourage efficient use of our existing stock, making best use of homes that are long-term empty to increase the supply of housing. At Autumn Budget, we announced proposals to strengthen the powers available to local authorities to tackle empty homes. Local authorities will be able to charge a 100 per cent council tax premium (currently 50 per cent) to homes that have been empty for more than two years.<\/p> This Government is also committed to preventing and reducing homelessness in England. That is why we are aiming to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminate it altogether by 2027. We are investing over £1.2 billion to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping in England by 2020. This includes a £100 million programme for low-cost move on accommodation to enable people leaving hostels and refuges to make a sustainable recovery from a homelessness crisis into independent living.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4053", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Derbyshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mrs Heather Wheeler"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-28T13:03:50.71Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has plans to requisition empty (a) flats and (b) houses that have been used for (i) speculation and (ii) money laundering purposes to help reduce street homelessness.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birkenhead"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Frank Field"}
], "uin" : "133632"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/856321", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/856321/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " One person without a home is one too many and we are determined to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.<\/p> Local authorities have powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes, and through the New Homes Bonus they earn the same financial reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one. To go even further, we recently announced proposals to strengthen the powers available to local authorities to tackle empty homes which mean that local authorities will be able to charge a 100 per cent council tax premium (currently 50 per cent) to homes that have been empty for more than two years.<\/p> In order to place homeless households into settled accommodation more quickly, we changed the law in 2011 to allow councils to place families in decent and affordable private rented homes.<\/p> The Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce will drive forward the implementation of a cross Government strategy to achieve our commitment of halving rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminating it altogether by 2027. The Taskforce met for the first time on 7th <\/sup>March and we will publish the strategy by July this year.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-20T15:41:38.637Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take, through housing associations, local authorities, and social landlords, to bring into use empty properties over shops, in particular for rough sleepers and families housed in bed and breakfast accommodation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2018", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hylton"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hylton"}
], "uin" : "HL6110"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/818593", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/818593/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Statistics on vacant dwellings in England, are published in the Department\u2019s live table 615 (attached) which is available at the following link. This table shows the annual totals of all empty homes, those vacant longer than six months and of vacant dwellings in the local authority, housing association and other public sector tenures.<\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants<\/a><\/p> The number of long term empty homes is substantially lower than when records began. Long-term empty homes are those dwellings which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for over six months. In October 2009, there were 316,251 long term homes in England and this had fallen to 200,145 by October 2016.<\/p> Figures are not directly comparable for Private Registered Providers (Housing Association) and local authority dwellings. Figures for March 2016, show there were 11,482 long term vacant Private Registered Providers dwellings and 22,928 local authority dwellings (long and short term).<\/p> As to steps being taken to bring structurally sound dwellings back to use, I refer to my answer to PQ 3618283/ UIN HL4471.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/818593/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "180110 live table 615 - HL4470.xls"}
, "title" : "Live table 615"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-23T17:48:59.167Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Empty Property"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the total number of empty dwellings in England; how many of those dwellings are owned by (1) housing associations, (2) local authorities, and (3) private owners; and what steps are being taken to bring structurally sound dwellings back into use.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2018", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hylton"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hylton"}
], "uin" : "HL4470"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/818594", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/818594/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The number of long term empty homes remains substantially lower than when records began. Long-term empty homes are those dwellings which have been unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for over six months. At May 2010 over 300,000 homes in England had been standing empty for longer than 6 months. As of November 2017 the number of long term empty properties had fallen to 206,236.<\/p> Authorities may charge a premium on those dwellings that have been empty and substantially unfurnished for more than 2 years. There were 60,900 dwellings on the 11 September 2017 that were empty and subject to the Empty Homes Premium. A premium can be charged on their council tax because the dwelling has been empty for more than 2 years. Not all authorities charge a premium, and these figures are based on the 288 out of 326 local authorities that charged a premium.<\/p> Local authorities have powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes, and through the New Homes Bonus they earn the same financial reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one.<\/p> In addition, the Chancellor recently announced proposals to strengthen the powers available to local authorities to tackle empty homes. Local authorities will be able to charge a 100 per cent council tax premium (currently 50 per cent) to homes that have been empty for more than two years.<\/p> In the housing White Paper, the Government restated its commitment to continue to support local authorities to encourage efficient use of our existing stock, making best use of homes that are long-term empty to increase the supply of housing. The housing white paper can be accessed (attached) at the following link:<\/p>