A 100-Year Wait for a Family Home?
Waiting Over a Lifetime: The Reality of Family-Sized Social Housing in England
The numbers are shocking: in some parts of England—particularly in London boroughs such as Westminster, Enfield, and Merton—families waiting for a three-bedroom social home face an estimated wait of over 100 years—longer than a childhood, even a lifetime.
Since 2015, the number of families on waiting lists has surged by 37%—six times the rise of overall waiting lists.
Over 1.3 million households are currently in line for social housing in England.
This crisis forces families into overcrowded private rentals or unstable temporary accommodations. Tragically, a record 164,040 children are homeless and stuck in substandard housing—twice the number in 2012.
Low-income renters spend an average 59% of their income on housing, while social renters save £947 a month, underscoring the affordability gap.
What’s driving this?
Decades of underinvestment, especially after the 2010 cuts to affordable housing grants
The Right-to-Buy policy has sold over two million council homes, with insufficient replacement.
Meanwhile, government spending on temporary accommodation has soared, costing billions that could have funded new social housing—enough to deliver 73,000 new social rent homes annually.
Why It Matters
Childhood deserves stability—not a perpetual wait. Homes are more than just accommodation—they're foundations for health, security, and opportunity.
The solution? Bold investment. Housing must be prioritized in policy, finance, and action—not merely treated as a budget item, but as a societal imperative.
Have you seen friends or families struggling with housing insecurity? What do you think can be done—locally or nationally—to bring about real change? Let us know!
References:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/09/hundred-year-wait-family-size-social-housing-england
https://www.bigissue.com/news/housing/social-housing-100-year-wait-crisis-shelter
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/social-housing-lettings-in-england-april-2023-to-march-2024
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/did-right-to-buy-cause-britains-housing-crisis-5cprlxc5j
https://www.ft.com/content/1c1ffc21-0321-4949-9923-33d8e99e3520
