England’s housing stock has grown by more than two million homes in the past decade with energy efficiency and low-carbon technology beginning to leave their mark on the market, according to Nationwide’s latest special report.

The total number of dwellings rose by 2.1 million (9%) to 25.4 million between 2013 and 2023, outpacing population growth of 7% over the same period.

Owner-occupiers continue to dominate, accounting for 64% of all homes. A further 19% are privately rented and 16% fall within the social rented sector.

Property types have remained relatively stable but tenure patterns are shifting.

FLAT AMBITION

The report reveals that tlats make up 42% of private rented homes, up from 38% in 2013, and nearly half of social housing. In the owner-occupied market, flats account for just 10%, with semi-detached houses most common at 29%.

The average floor area has edged up from 95.3 sq m to 96.2 sq m over the decade. Terraced houses have seen the largest gains, while flats are slightly smaller than 10 years ago.

Owner-occupied homes are the most spacious at 108 sq m on average, compared with 77 sq m in the private rented sector and 65 sq m in the social rented sector. The average English home remains smaller than the EU norm of 103 sq m.

UNDER-OCCUPIED

Bedroom distribution highlights a sharp divergence between tenures. More than half of owner-occupied homes are classed as under-occupied, with at least two spare bedrooms. In contrast, just 16% of privately rented homes are under-occupied, while 8% of social housing is officially overcrowded.

Energy efficiency is improving across the stock, though variation remains. Nationwide found that 72% of social rented homes are rated A–C for energy performance, compared with 8% in the private rented sector and 9% among owner-occupiers.

Take-up of low-carbon technology is still limited but growing. Heat pumps are used as the primary heating source in 276,000 dwellings – about 1% of the total stock – with higher penetration in rural areas. Solar panels are more widespread, fitted to 1.5 million homes, nearly 6% of the total, and on more than 15% of properties built in the past decade.

EV CHARGING

Electric vehicle charging is also becoming a feature of the housing market. Around 1.8 million homes – 7% of the stock – have an EV charge point. Among homes built since 2012, one in five now comes with charging infrastructure.

Andrew Harvey, Nationwide’s senior economist, said: “Decarbonising and adapting the housing stock is critical if the UK is to meet its 2050 emissions targets, especially given that emissions from residential buildings account for around 15% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.”

CULTURAL EVOLUTIONS

Mary-Lou Press, president of NAEA Propertymark (National Association of Estate Agents), added: “We need to make sure that these homes are meeting ongoing societal and cultural evolutions.

“For example, more people than ever now live alone, and a large portion of them are aged 65 years or older, meaning property specification, type, and tenure all need to be put under the microscope to ensure homes are meeting the requirements of the nation.”