Near decade low for Worcester's social housing lets

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities figures show 368 new social housing lets were offered to tenants in Worcester in 2022-23.

This was down from 432 in 2021-22 and the lowest figure of any year over the past decade excluding 2020-21, which was affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

It means the number of new lets provided has more than halved over the last 10 years.

Councillor Jabba Riaz said: "Worcester has nearly 3,000 people on the housing register and competition to access homes is fierce.

"You only really get a sniff if you are in a top-tier banding and then you still hope that the stars are aligned.

"If you're in tier 3 or 4 the chances of you winning the lottery are better than getting a council house. 

"In Worcester, we have already passed on one opportunity to bring an increase in our social housing stock in the Sherriff’s Gate development due to the business case not stacking up.

"If you ask anyone on the street, do we need to build more housing? Do we need more social housing? Or if you ask them is there a crisis in young people getting on the housing ladder? The answer will always be a resounding yes.

"Yet when you ask them where we could put these developments, the answer will almost certainly be NIMBY. 

"One of the most sustainable ways to reduce the market to play havoc on rents and bring stability is to increase supply, whether that be through the private sector or the public sector."

Figures in Worcester also for the number of new social rents, those that are the most affordable, fell by nearly two-thirds during the same period, with 277 provided last year.

Jonathan Sutton, who is CEO of St Paul's Hostel in Worcester, said: "Some people stay at St Paul's hostel for several years while they negotiate the housing waiting list so this statistic is not a surprise.

"The antidote to homelessness is to build more homes but that is easier said than done"