North West Poverty Monitor 2024: Housing and homelessness
Housing, homelessness and poverty are inextricably linked. Many households in the North West are struggling to meet housing costs. This page provides data on the number of households in North West local authorities requiring help with housing costs (either through Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit). We know from national poverty data that people living in privately rented housing and social housing are at greater risk of poverty. You can look at the proportion of people living in different housing tenure types by ward on this page.
Homelessness is a major problem in parts of the North West. This page provides data at a local authority level on a number of homelessness indicators, including rough sleeping. There are a number of different classifications of homelessness.
Homelessness duties by local authority
This chart shows the number of homelessness duties issued in each North West local authority in 2023. Use the arrows to see charts for different parts of the North West (Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria and Merseyside and Cheshire).
Local authorities have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent or relieve homelessness for eligible applicants and their households. These duties are known as the “prevention” and “relief” duties:
- Prevention: If someone is threatened with homelessness, the authority must help prevent them from becoming homeless.
- Relief: If someone is already homeless, the authority must help them find accommodation for at least six months.
The main homelessness duty is when a local authority has a duty to find suitable alternative accommodation for someone who is homeless after the relief duty has ended.
Households in temporary accommodation by local authority
This chart shows the number of households living in temporary accommodation in each North West local authority by family type, in 2023.
Use the arrows to see charts for different parts of the North West (Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria and Merseyside and Cheshire).
Temporary accommodation is a broad term that describes temporary housing for people who are homeless.
Estimated rough sleepers per night by local authority
This map shows the estimated number of people sleeping rough in each North West local authority in 2023.
The figures are based on a count of rough sleepers undertaken by local authority officers in the autumn.
You can read more about the approach taken here.
Claimants of Housing Benefit and the housing element of Universal Credit
This chart shows the number of people needing help with their housing costs (either through Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit) in each North West local authority in 2024.
Use the arrows to see charts for different parts of the North West (Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria and Merseyside and Cheshire).
Average annual income in comparison to average house price, by local authority
High house prices act as a significant barrier to people hoping to purchase their own home. House prices are often many time higher than a household’s annual income. This can make obtaining a mortgage difficult.
This chart shows the average house price and average annual income in each North West local authority in 2023.
Use the arrows to see charts for different parts of the North West (Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria and Merseyside and Cheshire).
Average monthly income in comparison to average monthly rent, by local authority
Rising rent costs mean that rent is taking up an increasing proportion of people’s income.
This chart shows the average monthly individual income and average monthly rent in each North West local authority.
Use the arrows to see charts for different parts of the North West (Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside and Cheshire).
Percentage of residents in different household types by ward
Greater Manchester
Merseyside & Cheshire
Lancashire & Cumbria
Greater Manchester
This map show the percentage of residents living in different housing tenure types by ward in Greater Manchester, based on Census 2021 data. National poverty data shows us that people living in socially rented and privately rented accommodation are at greater risk of poverty than owner occupiers.
Use the drop down menu to select the housing tenure type you are interested in (Owned – including shared ownership, social rented and private rented).
For the total population of each ward, see our population estimates.
Merseyside & Cheshire
This map show the percentage of residents living in different housing tenure types by ward in Merseyside and Cheshire, based on Census 2021 data. National poverty data shows us that people living in socially rented and privately rented accommodation are at greater risk of poverty than owner occupiers.
Use the drop down menu to select the housing tenure type you are interested in (Owned – including shared ownership, social rented and private rented).
For the total population of each ward, see our population estimates.
Lancashire & Cumbria
This map show the percentage of residents living in different housing tenure types by ward in Lancashire and Cumbria, based on Census 2021 data. National poverty data shows us that people living in socially rented and privately rented accommodation are at greater risk of poverty than owner occupiers.
Use the drop down menu to select the housing tenure type you are interested in (Owned – including shared ownership, social rented and private rented).
For the total population of each ward, see our population estimates.
