More than 170 houses in Milton Keynes have stood empty for more than TEN years, study shows

As homelessness figures rise once again, hundreds of homes in MK have been standing empty and unoccupied for up to 10 years.

A study, by Admiral insurance specialists, analysed government data and sent Freedom of Information requests to local councils all over the region.

Milton Keynes came out as the second worst area in the south east for the number of vacant homes.

Some 173 dwellings in the borough have been unoccupied for more than 10 years, while 317 have empty for between five and nine years.

And 387 more homes have been empty for between two and four years, the research found.

The total number of long-term unoccupied homes is 877 and their collective value is a massive £260,688,250.

An Admiral spokesperson said: "In 2020, over a quarter of a million people in England alone were placed in temporary accommodation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic – despite an increased number of houses that sit empty across Britain. In fact, 89% of local authorities in England saw an increase in long-term vacancies from 2019 to 2020."