The size and composition of England's housing stock is a question with significance for housing policy, planning, and anyone trying to understand the scale of the property market. The figures are periodically updated through the English Housing Survey and other national data collections.

Total Dwelling Stock

According to the most recent English Housing Survey and DLUHC housing statistics, England has approximately 24 million dwellings. This includes all types of residential property: houses, bungalows, flats, and maisonettes, across all tenure types. The figure grows by around 200,000 to 250,000 new homes per year as new construction adds to the existing stock, partially offset by demolitions and conversions that remove dwellings.

Tenure Breakdown

Of England's 24 million dwellings, approximately 65 percent are owner-occupied, meaning owned outright or with a mortgage. Around 19 percent are in the private rented sector, and approximately 17 percent are in the social rented sector, including council housing and housing association properties. The balance of these proportions has shifted significantly over the past four decades, with owner-occupation having been as high as 71 percent in the early 2000s before declining as house prices rose relative to incomes and mortgage access became more difficult for younger buyers.

Property Types

The most common type of dwelling in England is the semi-detached house, which accounts for around 32 percent of the housing stock. Terraced houses account for approximately 25 percent, detached houses around 23 percent, flats and maisonettes around 19 percent, and purpose-built flats and conversions making up the remainder. The composition varies significantly by region, with London having a much higher proportion of flats and inner-city areas having more terraced housing.

Empty Homes

A portion of the housing stock is empty at any given time. The Council Tax register data, which is one of the most comprehensive sources for this, indicates that approximately 700,000 dwellings are recorded as empty in England, of which around 250,000 are long-term empty, defined as empty for six months or more. Empty homes are a persistent concern in the context of housing shortages, and local authorities have powers including Empty Dwelling Management Orders and council tax premiums to address properties that remain unoccupied for extended periods.

New Housebuilding

Government policy over recent years has set targets for new housebuilding at 300,000 per year in England, though this target has consistently not been met. Actual completions have ranged from around 150,000 to 220,000 per year depending on market conditions, planning decisions, and the capacity of the construction industry. The gap between new household formation and new housing supply is a persistent factor in the UK's housing affordability challenge.

Summary

England has approximately 24 million dwellings. Around 65 percent are owner-occupied, 19 percent private rented, and 17 percent social rented. Semi-detached houses are the most common property type. Around 700,000 dwellings are empty at any one time. New housebuilding adds around 200,000 homes per year, short of the government's 300,000 annual target. The English Housing Survey provides the most comprehensive and regularly updated data on the housing stock.