There are enough long-term empty homes in Birmingham to house all of the city’s homeless families, new government figures show. The second city currently has 5,406 empty properties – equivalent to one in every 86 dwellings.
That figure is the highest out of all the cities in England. It was down from 6,399 in 2023, but it would be enough to house all of the 5,034 homeless households currently in temporary accommodation in the city – of which have 10,598 children between them.
A ‘long-term’ empty property is classed as anything vacant for at least six months. The number of empty homes has risen across the country since last year – but there is still more than enough empty properties to house them all.
READ MORE: Birmingham has ‘most empty homes’ in the country amid housing crisis
A total of 265,061 homes have been empty for at least six months in England, according to the figures. That’s up from 261,474 in 2023, and 248,149 in 2022. It means that one in every 97 dwellings across the country is classed as being ‘long-term empty’.
Meanwhile, the number of homeless children living in temporary accommodation reached record levels in June. There were 123,100 homeless households in temporary accommodation across the country between April and June this year.
Some 78,420 of those were families with a total of 159,380 children between them. That includes 5,910 families who had been in B&Bs for longer than the legal limit of six weeks.
Homeless charities have called on the government to step in and use empty homes to house those in need. “Every year we see more homeless families and more homes standing empty,” said Action on Empty Homes director, Rebecca Moore.
“We can’t keep on putting more families in unsuitable temporary accommodation for longer periods of time, whilst so many homes sit wasted. It’s particularly shocking to see big rises in London where so many homeless families originate.
“After more than a decade of intense housing crisis, people are asking how long-term empty homes in England can keep on rising, whilst 117,000 families and over 151,000 children are trapped in Temporary Accommodation, costing the nation two billion pounds a year.
“A new national empty homes programme is long overdue. What Action on Empty Homes, Crisis and Shelter are all calling for is a strategic and targeted approach to our national housing emergency to see homes brought into use to alleviate the worst impacts of homelessness fast. The government needs to respond adequately and offer funding and incentives to get these homes back into use because this will save public money and transform the lives of homeless families.”
Ms Moore said the empty homes were a “missed opportunity”. She added: “Action on Empty Homes calls on the government to introduce a new national empty homes programme to create additional housing supply for those in most housing need, utilising properties currently left vacant or in need of renovation.
“Homeless families can’t wait ten years and two terms of government to see New Towns built, they need the housing they have been promised in their own communities now.”