London housing waiting lists at 10-year high

Recently released figures show that the number of people on waiting lists for social housing in London is at a 10-year high.

There are currently 336,366 households on London local authority waiting lists for social housing, which is the highest figure for more than a decade and marks a 32 per cent increase from 2014. The previous record was 344,294 in 2013.

25 per cent of households on the waiting list in England are in London.

In response to the figures, London Councils has warned that the capital faces a homelessness emergency, with the acute shortage of affordable homes a contributing factor. Analysis from the cross-party group shows that 183,000 Londoners, at least one in 50 residents of the capital, are currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation arranged by their local borough.

Cllr Grace Williams, London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing & Regeneration, said “The growing number of Londoners stuck on waiting lists for social housing is the latest evidence of spiralling pressures in the capital.

“London is grappling with the most severe housing and homelessness crisis in the country. The capital is becoming increasingly unaffordable and, as these numbers demonstrate, there is a desperate need for more social housing.

“Boroughs are doing everything we can to build the affordable homes our communities are crying out for. However, we are also struggling with enormous resource constraints and immense challenges to housing delivery in London.

“Boroughs are determined to turn the situation around. We are strongly pro-housing growth and as committed as ever to working with the government to turbocharge housebuilding in the capital. We are also working to ensure we have the resources needed to cope with the immediate homelessness pressures we are facing.”

London Councils also highlighted a 'black hole' in boroughs' social housing finances of £700m over the period 2023-24 and 2027-28. It is estimated that boroughs collectively spend £4m every day on temporary accommodation, and this spending has increased 68 per cent over the past year.