AQW 11722/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 10/05/2024
Answered On Date: 08/07/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the steps being taken to reduce the waiting list of large families seeking long-term social housing in North Down.

Answer:

This issue is an operational matter for the Housing Executive. I have sought the requested information from the Chief Executive, who has advised me as follows:

“There were 122 large families on the waiting list for the North Down Parliamentary Constituency, 91 of whom were deemed to be in housing stress at the end of December 2023. There were 20 allocations of social homes to large families on the waiting list over the preceding 12 months.

In terms of housing supply there are currently 98 Housing Executive properties with four or more bedrooms in the North Down Parliamentary Constituency.

There are currently no 4-bedroom properties included within the Social Housing Development Programme (SHDP) in the North Down Constituency. The proportion of applicants from single person, elderly and small family households is significantly higher; however, NIHE continue to engage with Housing Associations to identify and progress schemes which will deliver a sustainable mix of house types to meet current and future needs.

There have been 151 social homes delivered in North Down Parliamentary Constituency in the last 5 years which have included 31 no. 1 bed homes, 94 no. 2 bed homes, 25 no. 3 bed homes and 1 no. 4 bed home. This aligns to those profile of applicants in acute housing need and is kept under annual review”.

For any future queries relating to operational matters, you may wish to contact the Northern Ireland Housing Executive directly. Making direct contact with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive will ensure that you receive the information in the shortest possible timeframe and make best use of public resources.