Agenda item

The Director of Housing submits a report to the Commission to update Members on the ‘headline’ Housing Register and Lettings data from the financial period 2023/2024.

The Head of Service presented the report, and it was noted that:

·       The report covers the period 2023-24, and the snapshot provided was accurate on 1 April 2024. The number of households on the register at that time was 6682 which was an 11% increase compared to the previous year.

·       Overcrowding remained the biggest cause for joining the register. Overcrowded households account for 58% of the applications on the register, which was consistent with the previous year. The number of statutory and critically overcrowded households has increased by 24% from 197 to 245 in the last 12 months.

·       The Easymove scheme was introduced in May 2023 to help address overcrowding. This has worked well, successfully managing 9 mutual exchanges and saved £63,000 in associated costs. The target this year is 10 mutual exchanges and by the end of July 2024, 4 mutual exchanges had occurred so it is hoped that the target will be surpassed.

·       The need for all type of housing is high and demand outstrips supply. The highest need is for 2-bedroom accommodation – 33% of those on the register require this housing. Demand for houses is higher than that for flats or maisonettes so there was a lower wait for this type of accommodation.

·       Housing need in all areas of the city is high, but needs are highest in Abbey Ward, Wycliffe Ward and Castle Ward where the highest proportion of people on the housing register are awarded the highest priority (Band 1). The lowest need is in Knighton Ward and Aylestone Wards, with the lowest proportion of people on the housing register awarded Band 1.

·       Housing demand differs to housing need. This is where people want to live and the bidding patterns show that Western, Braunstone Park & Rowley Fields and Eyres Monsell have highest demand, but the housing needs in the area are lower. It was highlighted that further information on breakdown within wards could be provided.

·       The service would like to increase stock of adapted accommodation and is working on this. The need for wheelchair adapted accommodation vastly outstripped the supply. Waiting times have reduced for this type of accommodation however there is a disparity between the number of Fully Wheelchair Accessible need applicants on the register achieving lets compared to those requiring other types of accommodation.

·       Of all lettings achieved in the 2023/24 period – 74% went to Band 1, 20% to Band 2 and 6% to Band 3. 53% of all lettings were to households who were homeless or at risk of being homeless. The figures are proportionate to previous years and reflects the support given to homeless households to secure settled accommodation.

·       Compared to 2022/23, there was a 4 month increase in waiting times for a 1 bedroom flat, a 5 month increase for a 2 bedroom flat and an 8 month increase for a 3 bedroom house.

·       Lettings to Housing Association and HomeCome accounts for 23% of all lettings in this period. This was proportionate to corresponding lettings in the previous year. PA Housing was the largest provider with 39% of lets.

·       The Housing Allocation Policy allows housing allocation priority based on circumstances that merit rehousing such as risk or emergency or best use of the housing stock. The number of direct lettings was 32%, an increase of 6% since last year, predominantly as a result of homelessness issues. Direct lets to homeless households accounted for 76% of the total direct lettings.

·       There is significant need for social housing in the city and the service is actively working to identify suitable accommodation. This has required a flexible approach due to changing demand and a proactive acquisition and new build programme to help meet rising demand.

The Commission expressed their concerns of the ongoing difficulties and increasing waiting times for residents on the housing register and in response to questions and comments it was noted that:

·       A cross service approach is taken and performance is monitored to ensure voids are turned around quickly to be re-let. There may be occasions where it is more difficult to let quickly as additional works may be needed or constraints on services.

·       The Council permit Housing Associations to utilise the IT system to advertise and allocate available properties to let at no charge, so whilst it is not a formal requirement it is assumed likely that much of their stock is let through HomeCome. The Local Authority have around 19k properties and let around 900 per year, whilst Housing Association have around 11k properties in the city and around 250 are let through HomeCome. 

·       Succession of tenancies is governed by the Housing Act. Services liaise with tenants and review regularly to identify alternative options and will work proactively and give priority to those who may seek to find a more suitable size accommodation if their current property is larger than needed to allow others on the housing register to utilise the space, however this cannot be compelled and whilst smaller social housing may have financial benefits to relocate, a larger property may continue to be more financially viable than the private sector.

The Director of Housing highlighted that further information regarding details of the formal scheme to enable tenants to move to more suitable accommodation could be shared with the Commission.

AGREED:

·       The Commission noted the report.

·       Additional information on the to be circulated.