Four million people were living in social housing across the UK last year, with 261,000 households being added to the list in the previous 12 months.

The system provides secure and affordable accommodation for those who are vulnerable, on low incomes or people with disabilities. 

According to Shelter, the average weekly rent in a social home is £89 – a figure which is set by the Government and is £107 less than the cost to private renters. 

Who provides social housing?

Social housing is generally provided by local authorities or housing associations. This is the case in Sheffield where the city council manages its own stock of housing.

Housing associations are not-for-profit organisations that provide secure, affordable housing for those in need. They act as independent, social landlords and own, manage and let their own housing. According to Sheffield City Council, there are currently 18,000 homes in the city owned by housing associations.

The types of social housing are:

• Permanent housing: Social housing that a tenant can stay in permanently if they stick to terms of the tenancy. These are only issued by local councils and have waiting lists for accepted applicants. Types of permanent housing include self contained houses, council housing, and supported housing.
• Temporary housing: A short-term fix for those who are either homeless or awaiting permanent housing. Types of temporary accommodation include hostels, B&Bs and self-contained flats leased by the council.
• Emergency housing: Temporary accommodation provided to people in need of immediate crisis housing. The main types used are hostels, B&Bs and emergency shelters.
• Supported housing: This is normally reserved for those in need of care, such as older people, disabled people and people recovering from addiction.

Who is eligible for social housing?

Social housing is generally for individuals or families with low income, or problems such as disabilities, health problems or homelessness. 

For a household to be classed as ‘low income’, it needs to be earning less than 60 per cent of the UK’s median household income, which currently stands at £36,700 (Office for National Statistics).

The Department for Work and Pensions showed in 2023/24, that around 17% of people in the UK were in relative low income. 

In the year 2023-24, 27 per cent of new social lettings went to homeless people and 44 per cent of new lettings were to households with at least one resident with a physical or mental health condition, expected to last a year or more, according to Government figures. 

Thirteen per cent of social lets in 2023-24 were given to non-British residents – four per cent European and nine per cent non-European.

Cllr Douglas Johnson, head of Sheffield City Council’s Housing and Policy Committee, said: “The one unifying feature is that many of these residents need support and are vulnerable without the right support being in place.”