Housing Needs Assessment 2025

We asked residents, tenants, employees, and councillors for their views on the draft Housing Needs Assessment (HNA). The Assessment looks at the housing needs of people living in Sandwell and will help guide future housing planning and decisions.

Feedback was gathered through:

• An online consultation from 5 August to 31 October 2025, which included questions on whether the Assessment reflects local housing needs, its clarity, and any missing information.
• A policy engagement session on 12 September 2025, where residents could review the draft in paper form and provide feedback online or via post.
• Resident engagement groups, including the Tenant and Leaseholder Scrutiny Group, which reviewed draft versions and suggested improvements.
• Collaboration across housing teams, community partners, and specialist services to ensure all perspectives were considered.

Residents highlighted several areas for improvement:

Hidden needs: Groups such as sofa surfers, overcrowded households, and those over 22 not on the housing register were underrepresented.

Readability: Some sections were complex and could be easier to understand.

Local data: Experiences in large apartment blocks, including subletting and tenant turnover, were not fully reflected.

Use of the Assessment: It should guide housing allocation, mutual exchanges, and support for those needing to upsize or downsize, prioritising households in greatest need.

Accessibility: The Assessment should be available in multiple languages and accessible formats.

Ongoing engagement: Regular updates are needed to keep the Assessment accurate.

In response, we have:

• Reviewed data sources to better capture hidden homelessness and overcrowding.
• Simplified language, added summaries, and included visual aids for clarity.
• Planned further analysis of tenancy patterns in multi-unit buildings.
• Committed to using the Assessment to guide housing allocation and support residents’ housing needs.
• Will provide translations and accessible versions where needed.
• Will hold annual reviews and engagement sessions to keep the Assessment up-to-date.

Amendments have been made where necessary. The final Housing Needs Assessment will guide housing planning and decisions across Sandwell. In addition, a consultation report has been produced.