Local authorities’ rent arrears have increased by more than 70 per cent in the last five years, according to Access PaySuite.
Based on over 80 responses to Access PaySuite’s FoI requests to local authorities, the company has created its new Rental Arrears Index (accesspaysuite.com/rental-arrears-index-2024).
Local authorities providing social housing are owed an average of £3.1 million each in arrears, a 70 per cent increase from £1.8 million in 2019. Furthermore, the past year has shown a 14 per cent increase in local authorities’ arrears since 2023. The value of arrears per tenant has risen from £490 in 2019 to £710 in 2024, an increase of 44 per cent.
Alex Common, divisional director for product and engineering, Access PaySuite, said, “If we apply our sample across the 221 local authorities which own social housing, the total value of rental arrears across local government could be as high as £650 million.”
