Union urges empty homes buy-up

The GMB union is calling on North West councils to acquire empty homes to ease pressures on waiting lists for social housing.

Despite a £200 million boost from the Government in May last year to buy up empty private sector homes, fewer than 500 have been bought in the North West, where over 129,000 are empty. The union says it is not good enough.

Oldham has 3,247 vacant homes, which is 3.6% of the total number of homes across the borough, and 13th highest of 43 councils in the region. The list is topped by Liverpool at 14,459 (6.8%), and bottom is rural Eden in Cumbria, at 517 (2.1%).

The report was drawn up by GMB as part of its campaign to persuade councils and housing associations to acquire empty homes to add to social housing stocks.

GMB regional secretary Paul McCarthy said: “The lack of action reflects the extent to which, in many parts of the country, the elected councillors and senior officers are socially removed from the detrimental effects on families of the lack of decent housing.

“Since the money is being made available by central government to acquire more social housing, the problem we are dealing with is political and ideological.

“GMB is calling on community and other organisations to mobilise people on the waiting lists to get action on this issue.”