Sheffield’s pool of affordable homes for rent was depleted last year

Think tank the Smith Institute says the national supply of affordable properties across England is increasing nowhere near quickly enough.

It warns renters are being pushed into the pricier and more insecure private market while the pandemic is making many people’s lives more precarious.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data shows there were 57,157 social and affordable homes in Sheffield in April last year – 256 fewer than 12 months earlier.

Across England as a whole, the figure rose by just 0.4 per cent to 4.15 million – an extra 17,000 homes.

The Smith Institute, which set up the Affordable Housing Commission to review housing affordability across the country, said the increase fell far short of what was required.

The group estimates the Government needs to build 90,000 social rent homes a year to meet demand.

Paul Hunter, deputy director, said: “With the loss of stock due to right to buy, demolitions and the conversion of homes to more expensive but so-called affordable rent, the supply of social rented housing is in decline.

“The current economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic looks set to demonstrate the cost of this failure. The lack of social housing means low-income households are now more reliant on the private rented sector, where rents are higher and tenancies less secure.”

In Sheffield, 23 per cent of homes were classed as social or affordable in 2019.

The percentage of England’s homes which were social or affordable fell from 20 per cent in 2001 to 17 per cent last year.

Polly Neate, of housing charity Shelter, said: “Thousands of families have spent the lockdown in shoddy, overcrowded temporary accommodation. And many more are in expensive, insecure private rentals desperately worried about paying the rent as incomes are hit.

“The pandemic has shown, more than ever, the importance of a safe, stable home.”

Sheffield Council has been approached for comment.

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