Meeting Social Housing Demand

Homefinder Somerset

During 2016/17, just over 2,000 applicants on the Homefinder Somerset social housing register were housed after being offered and accepting a property.

Table 1: Accepted Offers by number of bedrooms, 2016/17

	1 bed	2 bed	3 bed	4 bed	5+ bed	All
Mendip District Council	166	111	48	2		327
Sedgemoor District Council	180	218	104	16	1	519
South Somerset District Council	236	226	88	8	1	559
Taunton Deane Borough Council	235	199	84	13	3	534
West Somerset Council	54	48	19	2		123
Total	871	802	343	41	5	2,062

Just over 700 of the highest need applicants (Gold Band and Emergency) were offered and accepted a property.

Table 2: Accepted Offers by Band, 2016/17

	Emergency	Gold	Silver	Bronze	All
Mendip District Council	3	85	212	27	327
Sedgemoor District Council	10	130	263	116	519
South Somerset District Council	4	244	240	71	559
Taunton Deane Borough Council	2	198	199	135	534
West Somerset Council	1	35	50	37	123
Total	20	692	964	386	2,062

Although the level of acceptances indicates that the needs of Gold Band applicants for one and two bedroom properties will generally be met, the result is that the needs of both Silver and Bronze applicants for one and two bedroom properties will largely be unmet. As there are not sufficient new properties, this need has to be addressed through 'churn' (natural turnaround). However, there isn't enough churn on one and two bed properties to fulfill the needs of the Silver and Bronze applicants.

Meeting Social Housing Demand

Homefinder Somerset

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