Leaders of the Birmingham City Council have officially stated that they are contemplating the closure of the local authority’s housing waiting list to address a backlog of numerous applications for council homes.
The Council disclosed that there are currently over 23,000 households on the housing register, with an additional 11,000 applications pending assessment to join the register. Last month, the council revealed that among these households, over 22,000 are already on the housing register, including 5,000 who are homeless and residing in temporary accommodations.
Despite receiving more than 400 new housing register applications weekly, the council’s capacity allows for the allocation of only 2,000-3,000 social homes per year, on average. The situation is exacerbated by prolonged wait times, with applicants in certain Birmingham areas facing waits exceeding 20 years for council home allocation.
While the council has not yet decided on whether to close the waiting list, it has acknowledged the consideration of proposals to this effect, emphasizing that such a move is unrelated to its S114 notice.
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The council faces significant financial challenges, with a projected budget overspend of £87.4 million for the 2023/24 financial year. As a consequence, the council is mandated to reduce its housing budget by 28% (£7 million), following the issuance of a Section 114 notice in September of the previous year due to the budget deficit. This necessitates a comprehensive review of all services to identify areas where savings can be realized.
Source: housingtoday
