Report Reveals Potential for 25,000 New Homes from Empty Council Buildings Amid UK Housing Crisis
A new report by Habitat for Humanity Great Britain (HfHGB) has revealed that vacant council-owned properties could be converted into 25,000 desperately needed homes, offering a faster, greener and more cost-effective solution to the UK’s housing crisis.
The research highlights a sharp rise in empty council buildings across the country, with Wales up 44%, England up 30% and Scotland up 18% since the last study in 2021. In Sheffield, the situation is particularly stark, with a 500% increase in unused council buildings over the same period.
The findings come at a time when 131,140 households in Great Britain are living in temporary accommodation, costing the government billions each year. Alongside public sector vacancies, official figures reveal that 175,000 privately owned non-residential buildings in England lie empty – with the potential to be converted into half a million homes. Many are in prime locations close to jobs and transport, making them ideal candidates for retrofitting.
Turning Empty Buildings into Homes: Faster, Cheaper, Greener
Experts stress that repurposing vacant buildings into quality homes is not only quicker but far more environmentally friendly than new-build construction, using fewer materials and generating less carbon. The approach could also revitalise town centres, boost local economies and help meet net zero housing targets.
“We know empty buildings are only part of the answer to the housing crisis, but they should be a key part,” said Henrietta Blackmore, National Director of the Empty Homes Network at HfHGB. “Councils control what happens to their assets and must prioritise social housing.
Vulnerable people achieve better outcomes when they have access to safe, good-quality accommodation. Providing that housing now reduces the costs councils face tomorrow. We have the buildings – now it’s time to use them.”
Nearly One Million Empty Homes Across the UK
Government data from November 2024 shows 998,784 empty or out-of-use homes, including 265,061 long-term vacant properties. In the same year, only 213,366 new council homes were added to the housing stock – meaning there are over four times more empty homes than newly built social housing.
Rebecca Moore, Director of Action on Empty Homes, warned:
“Every year we see more homeless families and more homes standing empty. It’s unacceptable to place families in unsuitable temporary accommodation while perfectly usable homes sit idle.
Retrofitting empty homes is cheaper, faster, and greener than building new – and it’s a missed opportunity to tackle homelessness now. We urgently need a national empty homes programme to bring these properties back into use.”
Call for Urgent Action
Both HfHGB and Action on Empty Homes are urging the Government to introduce a strategic, fully funded national empty homes programme. The policy could increase affordable housing supply, reduce homelessness, save public money, and boost local economies through job creation in retrofitting and construction.
With demand for housing at record highs and temporary accommodation costs soaring to £2 billion annually, housing campaigners insist that unlocking the UK’s empty buildings is one of the fastest, most cost-effective solutions to the housing emergency.
