Today (25 October 2022) the Regulator of Social Housing published statistics about the social housing sector for both private and local authority registered providers, including stock ownership and rents as at 31 March 2022.
Returns from all registered providers of social housing show that the sector owns 4.4 million homes across England, with a net increase of over 31,000 social homes in the year. The number of Affordable Rent and low cost home ownership homes increased, while the number of social rent homes fell. General needs still makes up the majority of the social housing sector at 83% of all stock, with supported housing at 11% and low cost home ownership at 5%.
Private registered providers built and purchased more homes this year, as activity moved back towards pre-pandemic levels following the ending of Covid-19 restrictions. There has been an overall increase in their low cost rental stock since April 2021, with over 20,000 homes for Affordable Rent being added. However, despite the addition of just over 3,000 homes for Affordable Rent, local authorities saw another decline in their overall low cost rental stock. Both private and local authority providers increased their low cost home ownership stock, with over 18,000 more units owned across the sector in 2022 than in 2021.
As expected, rents increased in the year. The average increase in general needs (social rent) weekly net rents was 1.6%, in line with the limit set for 2021/22. The average weekly general needs (social rent) rent across England was £94.31, with variations across different regions of the country. Rents were lowest in the North East (£78.89) and highest in London (£116.16).
Will Perry, Director of Strategy at RSH, said:
The data from the 2021/22 Statistical Data Return and Local Authority Data Return show the impact of Covid-19 restrictions ending, with greater levels of development and acquisition activity in the period. There is a wealth of data in this year's returns, which will be of use to anyone interested in social housing in England. It also underlines how good quality data is essential for providers making difficult decisions about future investment in the current economic climate.
