Call for Empty Homes incentive

The Building & Social Housing Foundation today called on the Government to provide an incentive to local authorities bringing Empty Homes in their area back into use.

The call comes in response to the new Housing and Planning Delivery Grant (HPDG), which BSHF says provides an opportunity for the Government to address a wasted resource.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has been consulting on proposals for the allocation mechanism for the new £510m Grant.

BSHF has responded, noting that the empty properties could successfully be used to help meet the targets set to deliver more housing.

BSHF recommends that eligibility criteria for distribution of the Grant which take into account the numbers of long term empty properties brought back into use would be both useful and effective.

Noting that many properties are naturally unoccupied for short periods, BSHF recommended that any incentive should be based on properties that have been empty for a longer period of time, for example at least six months.

Jim Vine, Housing Policy Analyst for BSHF, said: “Empty homes deserve serious attention.

“They blight our towns and cities, but worse than that, they also represent a terrible waste at a time when it’s been accepted we need more homes not fewer.

“Our proposals would help to ensure that this resource is put properly to work, housing people, not sitting idle.

“We’ve described a way in which the Government could provide incentives to local authorities; this would allow those with local knowledge to deal with the situation in their area using the most appropriate methods for them.”