More than 17,000 homes were lost from the social housing stock last year, Shelter analysis of Government figures reveals.

The charity says that 1.15m households were stuck on waiting lists for social homes in 2019, an increase of 4 per cent on the previous year according to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data.

The net loss of more than 17,000 social homes came as 23,740 were sold or demolished and only 6,287 were created.

Shelter says that over the last decade there has been a net loss of almost 60,000 social homes after properties were sold or demolished and not replaced.

Chief executive Polly Neate says: “With over a million families in desperate need of social housing, it is absolutely outrageous that we are haemorrhaging thousands of secure social homes every year. 

“These homes cannot afford to be lost.”

“Homes are being sold off or demolished with no replacements built.”

Neate says families are being forced to live in overcrowded conditions, single parents are making the impossible choice of eating or paying the rent, and children are growing up homeless in grim B&Bs. 

She adds: “Too many people are spending years waiting for a social home that isn’t coming. 

“The government has said now is the time invest in the future – they must ensure a new generation of social homes is part of that future. With the budget just around the corner, housing cannot be ignored when the government gets its chequebook out.”