New social housing report: Minding the Gap
Our new report brings in-depth analysis of property demand data for 50,000 social housing properties advertised through Home Connections' choice-based lettings systems for the past three years. Produced in collaboration with Campbell Tickell and the Policy Institute at King's College London, the report explores the emerging trends and patterns in social housing as we move on from Covid-19.
Social housing supply and demand - the big picture
As one of the very few studies into social housing, the report offers a unique insight into the magnitude of the housing emergency. It offers evidence that a national and robust investment in social housing building is needed now more than ever.
"The most important use for this report is the fresh evidence of the ongoing extent to which the demand exceeds supply" - Jon Slade, Director at Campbell Tickell
In this report, you will find:
- Information about where the social housing supply in England fails to meet demand
- The changed levels of demand and supply year on year
- The types of properties receiving the highest bids and where they are located
- Recommendations to address the mismatch between the supply of and demand for social housing
Emerging trends
This current report expands on the findings from our previous report by investigating whether trends that were established during the pandemic have persisted or changed, as well as any new trends that may have emerged in the last year, including:
- Increased demand for social housing in the South-West
- Significant increase in demand for studio properties
- Reduction in demand for higher price properties year on year
“The cocktail of current crises – war in Ukraine, rising energy costs, steep inflation – may lead to increased demand on social housing in the coming years. A worrying prospect as housing teams across the UK already face immense pressure. This research report is intended to form part of the debate on how these improvements can be identified and implemented” - Ninesh Muthiah, Founder & CEO of Home Connections