Over 112,000 households on West Midlands housing waiting list

It comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves announces mandatory housing targets “to get Britain building again” and that the government will create a new taskforce "to accelerate stalled housing sites in our country".

The plan is to build 1.5 million homes over the next 5 years.

Mobile Annexe LTD analysed the latest ‘Local Authority Housing Statistics dataset’ to reveal over 200,000 people in England are “occupying insanitary or overcrowded housing or otherwise living in unsatisfactory housing conditions”.

More than 100,000 people also need to “move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability”.

In the West Midlands, over 112,000 households are on the housing waiting list.

More than 25,000 people in the West Midlands are “occupying insanitary or overcrowded housing or otherwise living in unsatisfactory housing conditions.”

The Government's 'Allocation of accommodation: guidance for local authorities' identifies several indicators of such conditions, including:

· Lacking bathroom or kitchen

· Lacking inside WC

· Lacking cold or hot water supplies, electricity, gas, or adequate heating

· Lack of access to a garden for young children

· Sharing living room, kitchen, bathroom/WC

· Property in disrepair

· Poor internal or external arrangements

· Young children in flats above ground floor

More than 12,000 people in the West Midlands “need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability.”

The Government's 'Allocation of accommodation: guidance for local authorities' outlines various indicators for such needs, including:

· A mental illness or disorder

· A physical or learning disability

· Chronic or progressive medical conditions (e.g. MS, HIV/AIDS)

· Infirmity due to old age

· The need to give or receive care

· The need to recover from the effects of violence or threats of violence, or physical, emotional or sexual abuse

· Ability to fend for self restricted for other reasons

· Young people at risk

· People with behavioural difficulties

· Need for adapted housing and/or extra facilities, bedroom or bathroom

· Need for improved heating (on medical grounds)

· Need for sheltered housing (on medical grounds)

· Need for ground floor accommodation (on medical grounds)

· Need to be near friends/relatives or medical facility on medical grounds

· Need to move following hospitalisation or long term care

Gary Clayden-Smith from Mobile Annexe LTD, who analysed the data, said: "It's promising to hear the commitment by the new government amidst the shocking figures.

"The fact that over 1 million households in England are on the waiting list is absolutely heartbreaking.

"When you see how many are in overcrowded or insanitary conditions, or need to move on medical or welfare grounds, it really is upsetting.

"The impact this will be having on people's physical and mental health is really concerning, and I really do hope that this promise by the new government is acted on."