Affordable Housing – Parliamentary Written Answer

Craig Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many empty properties were brought back into use as affordable housing by the Empty Homes programme; and if he will introduce a similarly-operating scheme to that programme.

Brandon Lewis: The Coalition Government set a new direction in tackling empty homes and property to ensure their value and opportunity was realised. It provided £216 million direct funding to local authorities, registered providers and community groups between 2012- 2015 and 9,044 homes were created from empty property. Of these 5,722 homes were brought back into use as affordable housing. The remaining 3,322 were brought back to use in line with local demand and the requirements of the neighbourhood as part of the Clusters of Empty Homes Programme.