Housing needs, homelessness and lettings

This chapter considers the latest data and trends on housing needs and homelessness. In particular it discusses the continuing rise in the numbers of homeless households in temporary accommodation, linked to the falling numbers of social housing sector relets, and welcomes the restored availability of homelessness statistics for Scotland.

The Chapter comments on the new 'Sustainable Communities' programme to increase investment in affordable housing in the south east of England, albeit from a historically low level. Even allowing for the increase investment in new affordable housing will remain well below the required level. Moreover there will be no real growth in investment in affordable housing in the south west, despite new evidence that problems of affordability and access to home ownership in the south west are rather greater than those in the south east (outside London).

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Figure 2.5.1	Nearly 100,000 homeless households in temporary accommodation
Table 2.5.1	House prices and affordability Quarter 4 2002
Figure 2.5.2	Proportion of working households aged 20-29 unable to purchase at lower quartile prices

Note: The majority of the tables in The Review contain UK-based figures, but sometimes figures for Great Britain are used depending upon the sources. All other tables will refer to the country(ies) concerned. Where English regional figures are shown, this is usually indicated in the title. Tables showing breakdowns between England, Wales, Scotland and/or Northern Ireland are indicated with a single *, and those showing international comparisons with two **.

Data in tables and figures is frequently rounded and/or updated and therefore will not always add up exactly.