Resonance, Big Issue, Women’s Aid Among 25 Groups Urging Government Action on Empty Homes
A coalition of 25 cross-sector organisations – including Resonance, Shelter, Big Issue, and Refuge – sign open letter to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook.
Social impact property fund manager, Resonance, has convened a coalition of 25 housing charities, social investors, and local government leaders to call on the government to urgently implement a national strategy to bring England’s 300,000+ empty homes back into use.
In an open letter addressed to Matthew Pennycook MP, Minister of State for Housing, the group highlights a “missed opportunity” to tackle the housing crisis. While the government pursues its target of building 1.5 million new homes, the coalition argues that refurbishing the 309,000 properties currently classed as long-term empty is one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to increase housing supply.
The letter, signed by leaders from 25 organisations including The Empty Homes Network, Resonance, Shelter, Big Issue, Refuge, and Women’s Aid, outlines how reviving existing stock can provide settled housing for the most vulnerable, including families experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic abuse, while stimulating employment and contributing to Net Zero objectives.
Daniel Brewer, CEO of Resonance, said: “The quickest and most sustainable way to house those in need is to unlock the potential of the buildings we already have. By implementing a National Empty Homes Strategy, the government can create a pathway for social investment to flow into local communities, de-risking the refurbishment of empty stock and creating social housing at a fraction of the cost, and carbon footprint, of new builds. We have the capital and the expertise ready to go; we now need the policy framework to match.”
Adam Cliff, Secretary of the Empty Homes Network, added: “With over 300,000 homes sitting stagnant while thousands of families remain trapped in unsuitable temporary accommodation, we are overlooking a ready-made solution to the housing crisis. We’re asking the government to stop looking the other way and give local councils the funding and authority they need to turn these properties back into real homes for local people.”
The coalition’s proposed National Empty Homes Strategy includes several key recommendations:
- A fully-funded local authority duty to investigate and act on long-term empty home complaints.
- National financial initiatives, including a loan scheme and a national acquisition fund.
- Ringfencing Council Tax Premium revenue specifically for local housing initiatives.
- Tax incentives, such as reducing stamp duty for purchasers who use properties to provide social
- housing or pathways out of temporary accommodation.
The group warns that with local authorities facing unprecedented financial pressure from temporary accommodation costs, the government must look beyond just new builds and treat existing empty stock as a vital national asset.
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