Of these, 248,633 homes are classed as long-term empty properties, having been empty for over six months.
The number of empty homes in England peaked in 2008 at over 738,000 and then gradually reduced until 2017 when the numbers started to increase again. The UK is now back at the level of empty homes last seen in 2012.
Homeless charity Shelter estimates that the UK needs over four million more homes.
Reasons for home lying empty include inheritance, need for repairs, delays to redevelopment, a lack of funds for redevelopment, and owners simply holding onto property in the hope price rises in their local markets.
The national campaigning charity, Action on Empty Homes, is calling for a new national strategy on empty homes along with the creation of a national fund to support councils in bringing tens of thousands of long-term empty homes back into use.
Leeds Building Society told FTAdviser this was not new, and that the country has had a national empty homes fund before.
“It was highly successful, and it breathed new life into thousands of empty properties and helped regenerate numerous neighbourhoods,” the lender said.
ruby.hinchliffe@ft.com
