A record number of households earning more than £50,000 a year are being granted social housing under Labour, according to new figures which have sparked criticism from the Conservatives.
More than 2,190 social housing placements in England were made to households with post tax incomes of at least £50,000 during 2024-25, the highest figure since records began in 2007.
The number has almost doubled compared with the previous year and marks a sharp rise from just 270 placements in 2021-22.
The figures have prompted claims that subsidised homes are increasingly being allocated to better off households at a time when waiting lists are at their highest level in a decade.
Sir James Cleverly, the Conservative shadow housing secretary, accused Labour of failing to protect taxpayers and allowing scarce housing stock to go to wealthier applicants.
“On Labour’s watch, much-needed social housing is going to well-off people at the taxpayers’ expense and nothing is done about it,” he said.
“Labour should act to stop the taxpayer being ripped off.”
The increase comes after Labour scrapped Conservative plans to introduce stricter means testing for social housing applicants, including proposals for a “maximum household income threshold”.
Those plans were dropped after Labour entered government, with then Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner overseeing housing policy.
Official figures also revealed that 225 households earning at least £70,000 after tax received social housing placements last year.
Social housing is allocated by councils and housing associations using a range of criteria including homelessness, vulnerability, overcrowding and financial circumstances. However, there is currently no national income cap for applicants.
Labour defended the rise, saying inflation and wage growth meant more households now exceeded the £50,000 threshold than in previous years.
A government spokesman said:
“Wages rise with inflation, which will contribute to more people earning £50,000 in social housing now compared to previous years. Only 2pc of new lets go to households earning £50,000 and above.
“There are clear laws in place to ensure social housing is targeted towards people that need it most.”
The latest figures come amid growing pressure on England’s social housing system, with around 1.3 million people currently on local authority waiting lists, the highest number since 2014.
Separate survey data also suggested a growing number of relatively affluent tenants are living in social housing. More than 400,000 tenants were found to have household incomes higher than 60 per cent of households across England overall.
Meanwhile, the median post tax income for new social housing tenants remained just over £18,000 a year.
The true number of higher earning households receiving social housing may be even greater, as nearly two thirds of tenants declined to disclose their income when surveyed last year, the highest non response rate since records began.
What do you think? Is it fair for households earning more than £50,000 a year to receive social housing while waiting lists continue to grow? Leave your views in the comments.
Main Image: For illustration purposes only.
