Overcrowding and Under-occupation

Overcrowded families live across London; however, the most severely affected overcrowded households are in East London. The negative impact on families of overcrowding requires action from all partners to develop a range of options for those in need.

 

East London Housing Partnership is delivering a coordinated approach of action planning and training to tackle overcrowding and reduce under-occupation to manage the best use of stock. Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords are supported by the East London team in identifying and adopting suitable local initiatives.

 

There is a high level of overcrowding in East London and data received from Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords in March 2010 suggests that there were around 37,000 families living in overcrowded conditions in East London. Of these, over 6000 households live in severe overcrowded conditions, that is households lacking 2 or more bedrooms.

 

Also, over 1685 under-occupiers are applying to move into smaller, manageable homes from their current social homes.

 

Pathfinder programmes

8 Local Authorities in East London were awarded pathfinder status by Communities and Local Government in order to promote their work on Overcrowding and Under-occupation. Funding has been provided by Communities and Local Government to encourage the work done by the pathfinder authorities and some of their outcomes are:

• Creating an overcrowding and under-occupation team within their Housing services department with specific officers carrying out work in this area
• Drawing up an Action Plan which will explain how and what they plan to do towards tackling overcrowding and reducing under-occupancy
• Organising training and workshops for frontline staff and managers in the various organisations in order to create awareness and publicity of the work being done
• Setting up schemes to assist overcrowded families move into private rented sector, move outside London and other schemes like space management and under-occupier cash incentive schemes
• Organising workshops/ presentations which will help in publicising the schemes amongst housing staff, tenants and other stakeholders
• Promoting mutual exchange through registering with agencies like Home swapper, House exchanges and ELLC mutual exchange
• Targeting severely overcrowded households, visiting them and offering various housing options to help them move

Sub regional programme

East London Housing Partnership has provided support to the Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords in promoting the work done in tackling overcrowding and under-occupation in the sub region.

 

For further information contact Rachel Blake.