The number of homes in England lifted by 232,820 to 25.2 million, driven by a rise in owner-occupied dwellings, government data shows. 

Owner-occupied homes rose by 210,000 to 16.1 million in the year to the end of March, according to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. 

The department, led by housing secretary Michael Gove, has set an “aspirational” target of England building 300,000 homes a year. 

England added 11,000 private rented homes last year making 4.9 million dwellings, as well as 12,000 social and affordable rented homes adding up to 4.1 million households. 

The department says the proportion of homes in owner occupation hit a peak of 69.5% in 2002.  

It adds: “Since then, owner occupation has gradually declined to 62.4% in 2015 and 2016, but has increased slightly since, reaching 64.1% at the end of March 2022.” 

In the private rented sector, the department says the proportion of homes had gradually increased to 20.3% in 2016, but has since fallen.  

This stock slipped to 19.4% at the end of March last year, down from 19.6% at the end of March 2021. 

There were 676,304 vacant homes in England on October 2022, a 3.6% rise on the previous year.