There are more long-term empty homes in Brighton and Hove.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities figures show 1,695 homes in Brighton and Hove were long-term empty as of October – an increase from 1,596 during the same period in 2022.

The figures cover the number of dwellings that have been empty for more than six months, excluding those due to flooding or properties left by people in prison.

Nationally, more than 261,000 homes were long-term empty. The number rose by five per cent and is the highest since 2011, excluding the pandemic-related figures from 2020.

There were also over 263,000 properties registered as second homes, with 2,705 of them in Brighton and Hove.

Matt Downie, chief executive at Crisis, said: “Our research shows that if councils were given the necessary tools and funding, backed by a concerted effort from government to repurpose properties through a national Empty Homes initiative, we could provide 40,000 additional homes over the next four years to people who are homelessness or at risk.”

Separate figures show 54 homes owned by private registered providers in Brighton and Hove, which are self-contained social and affordable rent houses, were vacant in 2022.

A DLUHC spokesman said: “We have reduced the number of long-term empty homes by more than 50,000 since 2010 by giving councils powers to bring empty properties back into use, delivering new homes for communities.

“Councils can increase council tax by up to 300 per cent on long-term empty properties and take over empty homes by Compulsory Purchase Orders and Empty Dwelling Management Orders.”