English Housing Survey 2021 to 2022: second homes - fact sheet
Updated 17 July 2023
Applies to England
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The English Housing Survey (EHS) collects information on households with second properties, and of those how many use them as ‘second homes’, that is, as a home mainly used by family/friends as holiday home, let to others as a holiday let, or for occupation while working away from home. This brief uses this data to detail the number, use and location of second homes in England, as well as the characteristics of households who have a second home. The data are collected as a part of a rotating module within the EHS, which means the questions are not asked of respondents every year. This publication details the most recent module run over the 2021-22 fieldwork year.
1. Households with second homes
In 2021-22, 2.1 million households reported having at least one second property. Most of these households let their second property out in the private rented sector, though just over a third (712,000 households) used their property as a second home (Live Table FA2601). Most of these second homes were owned by the household (93%) though 7% were rented, Annex Table 1.1.
In 2021-22, there were 809,000 second homes owned by households in England, an increase of 13% or just under 100,000 homes on 2010-11. However, the percentage of households with a second home was unchanged during this period, at 3%, Annex Table 9.
While the proportion of households owning a second home has remained the same, the number of second homes has increased since 2010-11.
2. Reasons for having a second home
Respondents were asked their reasons for having a second home and could choose more than one answer. The most common reason for having a second home was for use as a holiday home (45%). This was similar to 2010. Around a third of respondents said they had a second home as a long-term investment (35%), 9% as a retirement home, and 4% to live in while working away from home. For 7%, their second home used to be their main home, and 13% cite another reason for owning a second home, Live Table, FA2621.
Most households have a second home to use as a holiday home and/or for investment.
3. Number of additional homes
The vast majority (90%) of households who had a second home had just one other home. One in ten households (10%) had more than one second home. This is similar to 2010 when 89% of households with a second home had just the one other home, Annex Table 2.
Most households with a ‘second’ home have access to one home in addition to their main home.
4. Location of second homes
In 2021-22 60% (482,000) of second homes were in the UK and 40% (327,000) were outside the UK. In 2010-11 there were more homes outside the UK (371,000 or 52%) than in the UK (48%), Live Table FT2611
Outside the UK, the highest proportion of second homes were in Europe (30% of all second homes in 2021-22 and 38% in 2010-11) compared with in non-European countries (11% and 14% respectively).
Most second homes were located in the UK – the proportion of second homes in the UK has increased over the last decade.
Households living in the South East and London – 26% of households with access to second homes were in the South East and 23% lived in London. These regions were the most likely to have a second home compared to those living in other parts of England (between 2% and 11% of households that had access to a second home lived across all other regions). A small proportion of households with access to a second home lived in the North East (2%), Annex Table 3.
Most households that have access to a second home are located in the South East or London.
5. Tenure of households with second homes
Most (78%) households with access to a second home were owner occupiers of their main home, though 19% rented their main home from a private sector landlord. The proportion of households with access to a second home who owned their main home has fallen since 2010-11.
Those who owned their main home outright were most likely to have access to a second home – 50% of households with access to a second home owned their main home outright in 21-22, Annex Table 4.
The majority of households that have access to a second home own their main home.
6. Characteristics of households with second homes
The likelihood of owning a second home generally increases with age. Those aged between 55-64 were the most likely to have a second home, with 31% of households with access to a second home from this age group. The proportion slightly decreased in the 65 and over age group (27%). The proportions across age groups were similar to what they were in 2010-11, save for those in the 35-44 age group. In 2021-22, 9% of second homes were owned by those 35-44. In the 2010-11, 18% of second homes were owned by people in the same age group, Annex Table 5.
Most people with a second home were in the highest income quintile (46%). This was similar to 2010-11 when the majority of people were second homes were also in the highest income quintile (52%), Annex Table 6.
Couples with no dependent children were the most likely household type to have at least one second home - 54% of households with access to a second home were from this household type. This was followed by couples with dependent children (22%). The proportions across household types were largely similar to 2010-11, Annex Table 7.
Most households that have access to a second home are couples without dependent children.
