FOI REF: FOI/2023/5010
You asked
I am requesting any and all information you may hold on the location and count of second homes by reason or specifically holiday homes. I have looked at the TS055 Census 2021 dataset on the reasons for second homes, however, it appears this is resident based and so would not disclose the actual location of these homes only where the owner normally resides.
We said
Thank you for your freedom of information request.
The release Dwellings data, England and Wales: Census 2021, scheduled for 30 March 2023, will not include number of vacant and second homes data.
However, we have recently updated our publication plans to bring the publication of "Number of vacant and second homes" forward from 2024 to late 2023, with a provisional date of October 2023.
This analysis will focus on the number of vacant and second homes with no usual residents in England and Wales, by local authority districts. It will provide a brief descriptive analysis of the properties that are used as second homes. It will also look at the distribution of holiday homes.
As such, the information you have requested is exempt under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, whereby information is exempt from release if there is a view to publish the information in the future. Furthermore, as a central government department and producer of official statistics, we need to have the freedom to be able to determine our own publication timetables. This is to allow us to deal with the necessary preparation, administration, and context of publications. It would be unreasonable to consider disclosure when to do so would undermine our functions.
This exemption is subject to a public interest test. We recognise the desirability of information being freely available and this is considered by ONS when publication schedules are set in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The need for timely data must be balanced against the practicalities of applying statistical skill and judgement to produce the high quality, assured data needed to inform decision-making. If this balance is incorrectly applied, then we run the risk of decisions being based on inaccurate data which is arguably not in the public interest. This will have an impact on public trust in official statistics in a time when accuracy of official statistics is more important to the public than ever before.
In April 2023 we will be publishing analysis of the characteristics of people with a second address by reason for second address, however this will not include details of the location of the second address. Only how many people have a second address within the same local authority as their usual address, elsewhere in England and Wales, or outside of the UK.
You can receive updates about Census 2021 outputs, products, release plans and dissemination methods by subscribing to the free GovDelivery bulletins as follows:
Clicking on this link to register for GovDelivery updates.
Entering your email address in the field provided.
Under the section titled 'Census', selecting the option to subscribe to '2021 Census outputs.' If you select 'Housing' under topics of interest to subscribe to, you should receive notification of specific 'Housing' releases.
Pressing submit at the bottom of the page.