National statistics

Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England: 2022 to 2023

Published 29 November 2023

Applies to England

Date of next publication: It is expected that the Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England: 2023-24 statistics will be published in November 2024 (provisional). The date will be pre-announced on the GOV.UK publication release calendar.

Key statistics

Annual housing supply in England amounted to 234,400 net additional dwellings in 2022-23, similar to 2021-22 (down by 70 dwellings, or 0%).

This resulted from 212,570 new build homes, 22,160 gains from change of use between non-domestic and residential, 4,500 from conversions between houses and flats and 640 other gains (caravans, house boats, etc.), offset by 5,470 demolitions.

194 of the net additions from new build homes were through ‘permitted development rights’ (full planning permission not required).

9,492 of the net additions from change of use were through ‘permitted development rights’ (full planning permission not required). These comprised 7,903  additional dwellings from former offices, 534 from agricultural buildings, 59 from storage buildings, 103 from light industrial buildings,451 from commercial, business and service use buildings and 442 from other non-domestic buildings.

The loss of 5 dwellings from demolitions were through ‘permitted development rights’ (full planning permission not required).

Introduction

This statistical release presents National Statistics^{[footnote 1] [footnote 2]} on net additional dwellings in England up to 2022-23. The figures use the Census as a baseline and show the net change in the dwelling stock in England between the 1st April and the 31st March the following year. Figures for 2011/12 to 2020/21 have been revised, as scheduled, to calibrate to the Census 2021 dwelling count. For details see the Technical Notes.

The ‘net additional dwelling’ figures are based on local authority estimates of gains and losses of dwellings during each year and are calculated using the most comprehensive list of sources available. This includes the council tax base, building control, site visits and any other management information available to the local authority.

‘Net additional dwellings’ is the primary and most comprehensive measure of total housing supply.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) also publishes a quarterly release titled Housing supply: indicators of new supply, which cover the building control reported estimates of new build dwellings as well as estimates of housing supply using other additional sources. The indicators of new supply release should be regarded as a leading indicator of overall housing supply.

Our interactive dashboard illustrates results and historical trends.

Trends in net additional dwellings

As can be seen from Figure 1 and Table 1 below, net additional dwellings reached a previous peak of 223,530 in 2007-08 and then decreased to 130,610 in 2012-13 with the economic downturn. Since then, net additions have increased to a peak of 248,590 in 2019-20, before falling to 217,750^{[footnote 3]} in 2020-21, the lowest level for 5 years. This decrease may be due, in part, to the restrictions introduced during Spring 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021-22 net additions increased by 7% to 234,460 and reached a very similar level in 2022-23. In 2022-23, net additions amounted to 234,400, down by 70 dwellings, or 0%.

Net additional dwellings in 2022-23 are 6% below their 2019-20 peak and are 79% above their 2012-13 trough.

The 234,400 net additional dwellings in 2022-23 represents a 0.9% increase on the previous dwelling stock estimate of 25.2 million dwellings in England as at 31 March 2022.

Figure 1 Trends in net additional dwellings, England, 2001-02 to 2022-23

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Table 1 Net additional dwellings, England, 1991-92 to 2022-23^{[footnote 3]},^{[footnote 4]}

Financial Year	Net Additional Dwellings	Percentage change from previous year
1991-92	165,000	-
1992-93	151,000	-8%
1993-94	152,000	1%
1994-95	166,000	9%
1995-96	163,000	-2%
1996-97	154,000	-6%
1997-98	156,000	1%
1998-99	149,000	-4%
1999-00	148,000	-1%
2000-01	132,000	-11%
2001-02	146,700	11%
2002-03	159,870	9%
2003-04	170,970	7%
2004-05	185,550	9%
2005-06	202,650	9%
2006-07	214,940	6%
2007-08	223,530	4%
2008-09	182,770	-18%
2009-10	144,870	-21%
2010-11	137,390	-5%
2011-12	140,790	2%
2012-13	130,610	-7%
2013-14	142,490	9%
2014-15	176,580	24%
2015-16	195,530	11%
2016-17	223,230	14%
2017-18	228,170	2%
2018-19	247,770	9%
2019-20	248,590	0%
2020-21	217,750	-12%
2021-22	234,460	8%
2022-23	234,400	0%

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Components of net additional dwellings

The annual net change in the dwelling stock breaks down as follows:

• New house building completions

• Gains or losses through conversions (for example, a house into flats)

• Changes of use (for example, a shop into a house or a barn conversion)

• Demolitions and

• Other changes to the dwelling stock (caravans, houseboats, etc)

Further details are available in the Technical Notes.

As can be seen from Figure 2 and Table 2 below, in 2022-23, the 212,570 new build completions accounted for 91% of the net change, the 22,160 additional dwellings resulting from change of use accounted for 9% of the net change, the 4,500 conversions accounted for 2% of the net change and the 640 other gains accounted for 0% of the net change. The loss of 5,470 demolitions accounted for -2% of the net change.

Since 2015-16, new data have been collected on dwellings from change of use under ‘permitted development rights’ making it easier to change buildings to residential use, and since 2022-23, under new ‘permitted development rights’ from commercial, business and service use. In 2022-23, the 22,160 additional dwellings resulting from change of use included 9,492 through permitted development rights. These comprised 7,903 office to residential, 534 agricultural to residential, 59 storage to residential, 103 light industrial to residential, 451 commercial, business and service use to residential, 427 any other to residential and 15 unspecified to residential.

Since 2020-21, new data have been collected on dwellings from new build under ‘permitted development rights’. In 2022-23, the 212,570 new build dwellings included 194 through unspecified development rights.

Since 2020-21, new data have been collected on demolitions under ‘permitted development rights’. In 2022-23, the loss of 5,470 dwellings under demolitions included 5 through unspecified permitted development rights.

Figure 2 Components of net additional dwellings, England, 2022-23

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Table 2 Components of net additional dwellings, England, 2021-22^{[footnote 3]} to 2022-23^{[footnote 5]}

Components of net housing supply	2021-22	2022-23	Change
New build completions	211,670	212,570	900
Of which under permitted development right - Building upwards to create dwelling houses on detached blocks of flats	0	35	35
Of which under permitted development right - Building upwards to create dwelling houses on detached commercial or mixed-use buildings	0	0	0
Of which under permitted development right - Building upwards to create dwelling houses on commercial or mixed-use buildings in a terrace	0	0	0
Of which under permitted development right - Building upwards to create dwelling houses on dwelling houses in a terrace	0	0	0
Of which under permitted development right - Building upwards to create dwelling houses on detached dwelling houses	0	0	0
Of which under permitted development right - Demolition of buildings and construction of dwelling houses	0	0	0
Of which under permitted development right - Unspecified	131	159	28
Of which under permitted development right - Total	131	194	63
Net conversions	4,860	4,500	-360
Net change of use	22,910	22,160	-740
Of which under permitted development right - Agricultural to residential	598	534	-64
Of which under permitted development right - Office to residential	8,381	7,903	-478
Of which under permitted development right - Storage to residential	138	59	-79
Of which under permitted development right - Light industrial use to residential	280	103	-177
Of which under permitted development right - Commercial, business and service use to residential	0	451	451
Of which under permitted development right - Any other	857	427	-430
Of which under permitted development right - Unspecified	86	15	-71
Of which under permitted development right - Total	10,340	9,492	-848
Net other gains	770	640	-130
Demolitions	5,730	5,470	-260
Of which under permitted development right	32	5	-27
Net additional dwellings	234,460	234,400	-70

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As can be seen from Figure 3 below, in 2022-23, net additions from new builds remained stable (0% change), net additions from conversions decreased by 7%, net additions from change of use decreased by 3%, net additions from other gains decreased by 16% and losses from demolitions decreased by 4% from 2021-22.

Figure 3 Time series of the components of net additional dwellings, England, 2006-07 to 2022-23

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Regional figures

As can be seen from Figure 4 (left) below, net additions per 1,000 dwellings in 2022-23 varied across England.  Areas with high levels of net additions per 1,000 dwellings are geographically varied. The highest three net additions rates per 1,000 of the stock were in Tewkesbury, Mid-Suffolk and Rugby. Areas with low levels of net additions per 1,000 dwellings are also geographically varied. Aside from the City of London and the Isles of Scilly (which have a low level of residential dwelling stock), the lowest three net additions rates per 1,000 of the stock were in Portsmouth, Gosport, and Epping Forest. London presents a mixed picture, with 6 of the top 50 net addition rates per 1,000 dwellings and 8 of the lowest 50 net addition rates.

As can be seen from Figure 4 (right) below, changes in the level of net additional dwellings between 2021-22 and 2022-23 also varied across England, increasing in 163 out of 309 authorities. The geographic spread of increases and decreases is mixed. In London, 13 out of 33 London Boroughs have experienced an increase.

Figure 4 Net additions per 1,000 dwellings^{[footnote 6]} (left) and change from previous year (right), by each English local authority district, 2022-23

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Communal accommodation

This publication includes separate data on additions and losses from the stock of communal accommodation. These figures are not included in the main net additions figures. Communal accommodation is distinguished from the dwellings in the main net additions figures as it does not provide self-contained household spaces with kitchens and bathrooms. Communal accommodation, thus defined, does not include ‘student or other cluster flats’ which are included in the main net additional dwellings figures. Each cluster flat typically has several bedrooms and shared and cooking and living space behind a lockable door. Communal accommodation, however, has a number of individual bedrooms sharing communal facilities such as a refectory or lounge. Further details are available in the Technical Notes.

Figures for communal accommodation are split into ‘student’ and ‘other’ communal accommodation. Student communal accommodation is the traditional ‘student hall’ style with many student rooms and a single refectory. Other communal accommodation includes care homes or hostels where rooms are arranged along corridors with one or more communal sitting and dining rooms.

As can be seen from Table 3 below, in 2022-23, there was a net change of 980 student communal accommodation units and a net change of 400 other communal accommodation units, bringing the total net change to 1,380 communal accommodation units.

Table 3 Components of communal accommodation^{[footnote 7]}, England, 2021-22^{[footnote 3]} to 2022-23^{[footnote 5]}

Components of Communal Accommodation	2021-22	2022-23	Change
Student Gain	950	1,010	60
Student Loss	50	20	-20
Student Net Change	910	980	80
Other Gain	690	620	-70
Other Loss	60	220	160
Other Net Change	630	400	-240
Total Net Change	1,540	1,380	-160

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Comparison with affordable housing supply

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) also publishes an annual statistical release titled Affordable Housing Supply which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of affordable housing supply. Affordable Housing Supply figures for 2022-23 are scheduled for publication on 30 November 2023 (and will include an update of the comparison below for 2022-23).

As can be seen from Figure 5 below, in 2021-22, there were 59,350 affordable homes delivered, representing an estimated 25% of the total number of new additions to the housing stock (i.e. excluding demolitions). This proportion has varied considerably since 2006-07, with a peak of 40% in 2010-11 and a trough of 16% in 2015-16.

Figure 5 Time series of affordable housing and all new housing additions, England, 2006-07 to 2022-23

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Accompanying tables and open data

Tables

Accompanying tables are available to download alongside this release.

Open data

These statistics are available in fully open and linkable data formats at Open Data Communities.

Technical Notes

Please see the accompanying Technical Notes for further details.

Enquiries

Media enquiries:

Office hours:  0303 444 1209    

Email: NewsDesk@levellingup.gov.uk

Public enquiries and Responsible Statistician: Neil Higgins

Email: housing.statistics@levellingup.gov.uk

Information on Official Statistics is available via the UK Statistics Authority website.

Information about statistics at DLUHC is available via the Department’s website.

1. National Statistics are accredited official statistics. Accredited official statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. Please see the Office for Statistics Regulation website for further details. ↩

2. Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website. ↩

3. The 2021-22 figures have been revised from 232,820 to 234,460 due to 27 local authorities submitting revised data in accordance with the published scheduled revisions policy. Figures for 2011-12 to 2020-21 have been revised, as scheduled, to calibrate to the Census 2021 dwelling count. Figures for 2022-23 are provisional and subject to revision. For details see the Technical Notes. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

4. From 2000-01 all local authorities submitted data to the Department through the Housing Flows Reconciliation form. Figures from 1990-91 to 1999-2000 are annual differences from the Department’s Dwelling Stock Estimates Live Table 104. For further details see the Technical Notes. ↩

5. Totals may not equal the sum of component parts due to rounding to the nearest 10. ↩ ↩²

6. To show housing supply in proportion to the size of each local authority district, we divide the net additions in the year by the existing dwelling stock. The result is multiplied by 1,000 to give a figure that is easier to interpret. For example, a region with 570 net additional dwellings over the previous year where there are 100,000 dwellings would give a value of 5.7 net additional dwellings per thousand of existing stock and would therefore be shaded in light blue in the coloured map. Rates of net additions are not uniform across England and can vary considerably between local authority areas. ↩

7. The number of communal accommodation units corresponds to the number of council tax valuation listings for the accommodation as described on the Valuations Office Agency website. Figures from 2015-16 have also been collected in the communal accommodation units of bedspaces and are published in LiveTable124b. Figures for previous years are available, however, these are not directly comparable (as London figures previously referred to the number of bedrooms provided, rather than council tax valuation listings). The Greater London Authority were unable to provide communal accommodation in council tax listings units for London Boroughs for 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 by the data collection deadline but did provide communal accommodation data for 2020/21, 2021/22  and 2022/23 in bedspace units, published in LiveTable124b. ↩