Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to incentivise the use of existing housing stock to help tackle low room occupancy rates.

Under-occupation is recorded in the English Housing Survey’s annual statistics.

The choice to sell a home is ultimately one for the owner of the property to make.

However, the government are taking steps to modernise the home buying and selling process, including through digital innovation.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), we are also giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.