More than 26,400 on Sheffield Council housing register with thousands joining in 2024
More than 8,000 people joined the Sheffield Council housing register in 2024 with nearly 330,000 bids placed on social housing properties, figures show.
Following an enquiry from The Star, Sheffield City Council revealed there are currently 26,414 people on its housing register.
There was a huge influx of people joining the register last year, dramatically increasing the demand on the housing register as the cost of living remained high.
Unlike other local authorities, Sheffield City Council does not have a “waiting list” for social housing. Instead, current and prospective tenants apply to be placed on the housing register and accrue time from the date their application is accepted.
They then show an interest by placing bids on available properties as and when they choose. Anyone can join this, and people can place bids as often as they like.
People do not need to have an immediate housing need to join the housing register; but they can get assessed for ‘priority award’ at any time.
The council said: “While we don’t have that specified ‘waiting list’, we have awarded 1,375 applicants what we call a ‘priority’ to be rehoused.
“These are current or prospective tenants who we have assessed as having an urgent need to move. The number of households who are awarded a priority need for social housing has doubled since before the COVID-19 pandemic. That huge demand mirrors the national picture.
“People with an assessed housing need are placed into priority bands A-C, depending on the level of urgency. Those without a recognised housing need are placed into Bands D or E.”
Approximately 70 priority rehousing requests are made to the register each week and more than half of these are from homeless applicants, which the council says is “showcasing” the current homelessness crisis in the city.
In October 2024, the council changed the number of offers to priority bands D and E from one in four to one in 10.
It said: “Increasing the number of properties available to those with a priority need will benefit those with the most critical need and ensure they are made a timelier offer by reducing the need for expensive emergency accommodation, as nine in every 10 properties in each type on an estate will now be offered to bands A-C.”
In 2024, there was an average of 139 ‘bids’ made by housing register applicants on each property advertised.
Sheffield City Council is one of the largest social housing landlords in the country and has over 38,500 properties under its portfolio.
Of those, the council confirmed 786 are currently empty, including temporary accommodation units and properties either awaiting renovation or undergoing renovation.
In the last six months, 46 properties were advertised on the register per week, but the high demand means many are left waiting some time before gaining access to a new home.
The authority recently signed a contract with social housing repair and improvement company Fortem. It is said the deal will increase the ability of the council to bring empty properties back to a “lettable standard”.