Big Issue founder urges Andy Burnham to offer councils stronger powers to buy-up empty houses
EXCLUSIVE: The call from Big Issue founder Lord John Bird comes as more than one million families languish on waiting lists and record levels of children are forced to live in temporary accommodation
There are an estimated 300,000 homes in England that have been left empty for more than six months(Image: Getty Images)
Andy Burnham has been urged to give councils stronger powers to buy-up or lease empty properties and help tackle the homelessness crisis.
The call from Big Issue founder Lord John Bird comes as more than one million families languish on waiting lists and record levels of children are forced to live in temporary accommodation, including B&Bs.
The crossbench peer is calling for a government-backed loan scheme, which he said would “unlock thousands of new social houses and ease the homelessness crisis”.
He told The Mirror: “Andy Burnham has an opportunity to show he’s serious about tackling homelessness by introducing this on day one of his premiership.”
Lord Bird said: “Across the country, properties sit empty while families languish on waiting lists and councils break the bank to put them in temporary accommodation.
“This incoming government must think differently if it wants to find long-term solutions to the problems we face.
“A government-backed loan scheme for councils to lease or buy up empty homes is an obvious way to unlock thousands of new social houses and ease the homelessness crisis.”
The crossbench peer has tabled amendments to the Social Housing Bill in the Lords this week in an attempt to bring thousands of empty homes back into use for social housing.
It aims to reduce the qualifying period for Empty Dwelling Management Orders (EDMOs) from two years to six months, allowing councils to intervene early.
There are an estimated 300,000 homes in England that have been left empty for more than six months. Meanwhile, more than 1.3million households are stuck on social housing waiting lists, according to the charity Shelter.
Lord Bird’s amendment would also establish a government-backed loan scheme to help councils purchase or lease the empty properties – before renovating them.
Incoming Prime Minister Mr Burnham has previously made clear that the housing crisis will be a priority for the government. During a major speech earlier this month he pledged the “biggest council housebuilding programme since the postwar period” in office.
He said the country was stuck in a “housing trap” with nearly 1.5 million fewer council homes since the 1980s when Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy policy triggered a massive drop in public housing stock.
