Social housing lettings
Published
- 1. Navigate toMain facts and figures section
- 2. Navigate toThings you need to know section
- 3. Navigate to By ethnicity (new social housing lettings) section
- 4. Navigate to By ethnicity (routes into social housing) section
- 5. Navigate to By ethnicity (vulnerable households by priority need) section
- 6. Navigate to By ethnicity (income spent on rent) section
- 7. Navigate to By ethnicity (length of new fixed-term tenancies) section
- 8. Navigate toData sources section
- 9. Navigate toDownload the data section
1. Main facts and figures
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in the year ending in March 2023, households with a black ‘lead tenant’ made up 7.0% of new social housing lettings – for comparison, black people made up 4.0% of the population of England and Wales according to the 2021 Census
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households with an Asian lead tenant made up 4.7% of new social housing lettings – Asian people made up 9.3% of the population
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the most likely route into social housing for every ethnic group was to apply directly for social housing (43.7%), followed by nomination by a local housing authority (28.5%)
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in every ethnic group, homelessness was the most common reason why vulnerable households were given priority for social housing
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in both the white Gypsy and Traveller, and ‘any other’ ethnic groups, 54.0% of vulnerable households were given priority for social housing because of homelessness – the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups
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the percentage of income spent on rent for new social housing lettings went down in the 2 years to March 2023 for all ethnic groups except the Bangladeshi group (where it went up from 38% to 40%)
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in most ethnic groups, the most common length of new fixed-term tenancies was 3 to 5 years – it was 2 years or less for households with a Chinese or Indian lead tenant
2. Things you need to know
What the data measures
The data measures different aspects of social housing lettings in England, by ethnicity. It shows:
- the number and percentage of new, permanent, social housing lettings
- the percentage of new social housing lettings by type of referral
- the number and percentage of new social housing lettings given to vulnerable households, by type of priority need
- the amount of rent paid for social housing lettings as a percentage of total household income (excluding supported housing)
- the number and percentage of new, permanent fixed-term lettings in social housing by the length of the tenancy
Percentages of households are rounded to 1 decimal place. Percentages of income spent on rent are rounded to whole numbers because fewer households provided income data.
Not included in the data
The data does not include:
- lettings where the ethnicity of the lead tenant was not known (11.1% of households)
- mutual exchanges
- conversions of starter or introductory tenancies to assured or secure tenancies
- successions by assignment
- temporary general needs housing
Data on income spent on rent does not include households whose income was not known (58.4% of households).
Data on fixed-term tenancies does not include lifetime tenancies – these made up 78% of new social lettings in the year ending March 2022.
Data is not shown if there are only 1 or 2 people in a particular ethnic group. This is to protect people’s confidentiality.
The ethnic groups used in the data
For data analysed by ethnicity, the 18 standardised ethnic groups from the 2011 Census are shown.
Each household’s ethnic group is the ethnicity of the ‘lead tenant’. In joint tenancies, the lead tenant is the person who is either employed, or unemployed and looking for work. There may be people of different ethnicities in the same household.
Methodology
Read the detailed methodology document for this data.
For context, the percentage of new social housing lettings by ethnic group is compared with population data from the 2021 Census
The totals for new lettings in this data may be different from figures published elsewhere. This is because this data does not include households whose ethnicity was not known or use estimated data for ethnicity.
In the data file
See Download the data for:
- figures rounded to 1 decimal place
- numerators
3. By ethnicity (new social housing lettings)
| Ethnicity | % | Social housing lettings | % of population (2021 census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 4.7 | 10,510 | 9.3 |
| Bangladeshi | 0.8 | 1,755 | 1.1 |
| Chinese | 0.2 | 383 | 0.7 |
| Indian | 0.7 | 1,541 | 3.1 |
| Pakistani | 1.6 | 3,592 | 2.7 |
| Asian other | 1.4 | 3,240 | 1.6 |
| Black | 7.0 | 15,556 | 4.0 |
| Black African | 3.9 | 8,745 | 2.5 |
| Black Caribbean | 1.9 | 4,192 | 1.0 |
| Black other | 1.2 | 2,619 | 0.5 |
| Mixed | 2.9 | 6,520 | 2.9 |
| Mixed White/Asian | 0.3 | 773 | 0.8 |
| Mixed White/Black African | 0.5 | 1,217 | 0.4 |
| Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 1.3 | 2,969 | 0.9 |
| Mixed other | 0.7 | 1,562 | 0.8 |
| White | 82.9 | 185,650 | 81.7 |
| White British | 77.6 | 173,692 | 74.4 |
| White Irish | 0.5 | 1,219 | 0.9 |
| White Gypsy/Traveller | 0.2 | 363 | 0.1 |
| White other | 4.6 | 10,377 | 6.2 |
| Other | 2.5 | 5,581 | 2.1 |
| Arab | 0.9 | 2,051 | 0.6 |
| Any other | 1.6 | 3,530 | 1.6 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity (new social housing lettings)’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity (new social housing lettings)’ (CSV)
4. By ethnicity (routes into social housing)
| Ethnicity | Tenant applied direct | Nominated by local housing authority | Internal transfer | Referred by local authority housing department | Social services | Voluntary agency | Police, probation or prison | Other social landlord | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| All | 43.7 | 28.5 | 12.5 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 8.6 |
| Asian | 42.0 | 29.1 | 9.0 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 12.1 |
| Bangladeshi | 36.1 | 37.0 | 8.3 | 3.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 2.1 | 0.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 12.4 |
| Chinese | 43.3 | 26.6 | 11.2 | 3.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 2.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 2.3 | 11.5 |
| Indian | 44.8 | 28.3 | 9.1 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 10.1 |
| Pakistani | 43.8 | 27.9 | 7.5 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 13.1 |
| Asian other | 41.6 | 26.9 | 10.7 | 4.7 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 11.9 |
| Black | 41.7 | 27.2 | 12.1 | 4.9 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 10.9 |
| Black African | 44.4 | 27.0 | 10.8 | 4.3 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 10.3 |
| Black Caribbean | 35.2 | 28.6 | 14.4 | 6.4 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 11.6 |
| Black other | 43.0 | 25.6 | 12.6 | 4.3 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 11.8 |
| Mixed | 38.2 | 30.5 | 10.2 | 5.8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 12.2 |
| Mixed White/Asian | 41.1 | 30.5 | 10.2 | 4.8 | 0.6 | 1.6 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | 10.5 |
| Mixed White/Black African | 39.4 | 29.0 | 9.3 | 6.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.7 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.7 | 14.1 |
| Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 36.9 | 30.6 | 10.8 | 6.1 | 0.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 11.9 |
| Mixed other | 38.2 | 31.4 | 9.6 | 5.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 2.2 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.7 | 12.2 |
| White | 45.3 | 29.0 | 12.2 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 7.1 |
| White British | 45.4 | 28.7 | 12.4 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 7.0 |
| White Irish | 40.0 | 26.9 | 13.4 | 6.4 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 9.6 |
| White Gypsy/Traveller | 36.4 | 28.4 | 15.7 | 5.5 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 1.1 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 9.6 |
| White other | 44.4 | 34.2 | 7.8 | 4.1 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 1.0 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.5 | 7.8 |
| Other | 43.9 | 26.0 | 9.1 | 4.9 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 13.2 |
| Arab | 43.2 | 25.4 | 8.2 | 6.1 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 13.5 |
| Any other | 44.3 | 26.4 | 9.6 | 4.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 1.3 | withheld to protect confidentiality | 0.6 | 13.1 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity (routes into social housing)’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity (routes into social housing)’ (CSV)
5. By ethnicity (vulnerable households by priority need)
| Hardship | Homelessness | Insanitary/Unsatisfactory Housing | Medical Welfare | Multiple | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Hardship % | Hardship Number | Homelessness % | Homelessness Number | Insanitary/Unsatisfactory Housing % | Insanitary/Unsatisfactory Housing Number | Medical Welfare % | Medical Welfare Number | Multiple % | Multiple Number |
| All | 11.0 | 8,974 | 45.7 | 37,359 | 16.2 | 13,261 | 22.7 | 18,540 | 4.4 | 3,595 |
| Asian | 12.8 | 481 | 47.5 | 1,779 | 20.4 | 766 | 14.5 | 542 | 4.8 | 178 |
| Bangladeshi | 11.5 | 69 | 41.5 | 249 | 31.3 | 188 | 11.5 | 69 | 4.0 | 24 |
| Chinese | 15.0 | 18 | 54.2 | 65 | 14.2 | 17 | 12.5 | 15 | 4.2 | 5 |
| Indian | 10.6 | 61 | 49.0 | 283 | 14.9 | 86 | 20.9 | 121 | 4.7 | 27 |
| Pakistani | 13.6 | 175 | 46.2 | 594 | 19.5 | 250 | 14.7 | 189 | 5.9 | 76 |
| Asian other | 13.6 | 158 | 50.4 | 587 | 19.3 | 225 | 12.8 | 149 | 4.0 | 46 |
| Black | 13.1 | 683 | 47.0 | 2,443 | 22.8 | 1,186 | 12.6 | 653 | 4.5 | 235 |
| Black African | 13.0 | 403 | 49.4 | 1,536 | 23.8 | 739 | 9.2 | 286 | 4.7 | 147 |
| Black Caribbean | 13.7 | 180 | 39.9 | 525 | 21.7 | 286 | 20.1 | 265 | 4.6 | 60 |
| Black other | 13.1 | 101 | 49.4 | 382 | 20.8 | 161 | 13.2 | 102 | 3.5 | 27 |
| Mixed | 13.8 | 315 | 47.4 | 1,081 | 18.8 | 428 | 14.5 | 331 | 5.4 | 124 |
| Mixed White/Asian | 10.0 | 28 | 50.0 | 140 | 19.6 | 55 | 16.4 | 46 | 4.3 | 12 |
| Mixed White/Black African | 17.6 | 76 | 44.5 | 192 | 19.5 | 84 | 12.3 | 53 | 6.0 | 26 |
| Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 14.5 | 151 | 47.4 | 493 | 18.3 | 190 | 15.0 | 156 | 4.8 | 50 |
| Mixed other | 11.3 | 60 | 48.6 | 257 | 18.9 | 100 | 14.4 | 76 | 6.8 | 36 |
| White | 10.7 | 6,745 | 44.8 | 28,248 | 15.5 | 9,757 | 25.0 | 15,793 | 4.0 | 2,515 |
| White British | 10.7 | 6,338 | 44.3 | 26,157 | 15.2 | 8,998 | 25.8 | 15,205 | 4.0 | 2,344 |
| White Irish | 11.8 | 41 | 44.3 | 154 | 13.8 | 48 | 26.7 | 93 | 3.4 | 12 |
| White Gypsy/Traveller | 8.7 | 13 | 54.0 | 81 | 14.7 | 22 | 18.7 | 28 | 4.0 | 6 |
| White other | 10.0 | 352 | 52.8 | 1,856 | 19.6 | 689 | 13.3 | 467 | 4.4 | 153 |
| Other | 12.8 | 277 | 53.7 | 1,160 | 15.5 | 334 | 13.6 | 294 | 4.4 | 96 |
| Arab | 13.7 | 119 | 53.2 | 462 | 15.2 | 132 | 14.0 | 122 | 4.0 | 35 |
| Any other | 12.2 | 158 | 54.0 | 698 | 15.6 | 202 | 13.4 | 173 | 4.7 | 61 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity (vulnerable households by priority need)’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity (vulnerable households by priority need)’ (CSV)
6. By ethnicity (income spent on rent)
| Ethnicity | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | |
| All | 38 | 37 | 36 |
| Asian | 40 | 39 | 37 |
| Bangladeshi | 38 | 39 | 40 |
| Chinese | 35 | 38 | 36 |
| Indian | 39 | 38 | 37 |
| Pakistani | 38 | 38 | 36 |
| Asian other | 44 | 42 | 38 |
| Black | 40 | 39 | 37 |
| Black African | 39 | 39 | 37 |
| Black Caribbean | 42 | 41 | 39 |
| Black other | 41 | 38 | 37 |
| Mixed | 43 | 40 | 39 |
| Mixed White/Asian | 43 | 41 | 39 |
| Mixed White/Black African | 42 | 38 | 39 |
| Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 43 | 42 | 39 |
| Mixed other | 44 | 39 | 37 |
| White | 37 | 37 | 35 |
| White British | 38 | 37 | 35 |
| White Irish | 39 | 40 | 35 |
| White Gypsy/Traveller | 48 | 41 | 33 |
| White other | 34 | 34 | 33 |
| Other | 42 | 41 | 39 |
| Arab | 43 | 42 | 39 |
| Any other | 41 | 39 | 38 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity (income spent on rent)’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity (income spent on rent)’ (CSV)
7. By ethnicity (length of new fixed-term tenancies)
| 2 years or less | 3 to 5 years | 6 to 9 years | 10 or more years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnicity | 2 years or less % | 2 years or less Number | 3 to 5 years % | 3 to 5 years Number | 6 to 9 years % | 6 to 9 years Number | 10 or more years % | 10 or more years Number |
| All | 31.2 | 9,042 | 59.6 | 17,290 | 5.3 | 1,530 | 3.9 | 1,131 |
| Asian | 37.6 | 342 | 48.6 | 442 | 7.7 | 70 | 6.0 | 55 |
| Bangladeshi | 18.8 | 19 | 74.3 | 75 | 4.0 | 4 | 3.0 | 3 |
| Chinese | 64.0 | 16 | 36.0 | 9 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality |
| Indian | 44.4 | 84 | 43.9 | 83 | 3.7 | 7 | 7.4 | 14 |
| Pakistani | 40.2 | 111 | 47.5 | 131 | 8.3 | 23 | 4.0 | 11 |
| Asian other | 35.0 | 112 | 45.0 | 144 | 11.6 | 37 | 8.4 | 27 |
| Black | 33.4 | 511 | 55.7 | 854 | 5.5 | 84 | 5.4 | 83 |
| Black African | 31.7 | 280 | 57.8 | 510 | 5.0 | 44 | 5.4 | 48 |
| Black Caribbean | 38.0 | 175 | 53.0 | 244 | 3.5 | 16 | 5.4 | 25 |
| Black other | 29.5 | 56 | 52.6 | 100 | 12.6 | 24 | 5.3 | 10 |
| Mixed | 35.0 | 257 | 56.0 | 411 | 4.5 | 33 | 4.4 | 32 |
| Mixed White/Asian | 31.2 | 29 | 58.1 | 54 | 5.4 | 5 | 5.4 | 5 |
| Mixed White/Black African | 39.8 | 49 | 52.8 | 65 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality |
| Mixed White/Black Caribbean | 36.8 | 132 | 56.0 | 201 | 2.5 | 9 | 4.5 | 16 |
| Mixed other | 29.6 | 47 | 57.2 | 91 | 6.9 | 11 | 5.7 | 9 |
| White | 32.1 | 6,532 | 58.0 | 11,788 | 5.6 | 1,144 | 4.3 | 872 |
| White British | 32.7 | 6,235 | 57.4 | 10,970 | 5.6 | 1,077 | 4.3 | 814 |
| White Irish | 35.2 | 51 | 55.2 | 80 | 5.5 | 8 | 4.1 | 6 |
| White Gypsy/Traveller | 14.3 | 4 | 67.9 | 19 | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality | withheld to protect confidentiality |
| White other | 22.6 | 241 | 67.5 | 720 | 5.3 | 57 | 4.6 | 49 |
| Other | 40.7 | 159 | 47.1 | 184 | 5.6 | 22 | 6.9 | 27 |
| Arab | 41.6 | 64 | 49.4 | 76 | 3.9 | 6 | 4.5 | 7 |
| Any other | 39.5 | 94 | 45.4 | 108 | 6.3 | 15 | 8.4 | 20 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity (length of new fixed-term tenancies)’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity (length of new fixed-term tenancies)’ (CSV)
8. Data sources
Source
Social housing lettings in England, April 2022 to March 2023
Type of data
Administrative data
Type of statistic
National Statistics
Publisher
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Publication frequency
Yearly
Purpose of data source
The data comes from the Continuous Recording of Lettings and Sales in Social Housing (CORE) system in the year ending in March 2023. CORE is a complete census of new social housing lettings, which records:
- social rent lettings
- affordable rent lettings
- intermediate rent lettings
The aim of CORE is to provide information about new social housing lettings, sales, tenants and buyers across England.
This information is used by government bodies and organisations to inform social housing funding, and regulatory and housing policy decisions.