‘It isn’t for locals’ claims - busting the social housing myths in North Devon

As we celebrate 25 years of North Devon Homes, we want to share some facts about what social housing really means for our customers and our communities.

Social housing is often misunderstood and, in some cases, misrepresented. We believe it is time to challenge the myths.

Myth 1: Social housing isn’t for local people

This is a common misunderstanding when in reality our homes go to people with strong local connections. We work closely with North Devon Council to ensure that people who live, work or have family connections in North Devon are prioritised.

In 2024/25 88% of our customers had a local connection to North Devon or Torridge. This means that they were already living in the area, had close family members (such as parents, siblings or children) who had lived locally for at least five years, or were working in the area in a permanent role of at least 16 hours per week for the past six months.

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Myth 2: There’s too much social housing in North Devon

Social housing actually makes up a small proportion of homes in our area.

There is less social housing in North Devon than the national average, yet it plays a vital role in creating balanced communities where people of all incomes and backgrounds can live side by side.

According to the Devon Housing Commission Report, the amount of social housing available in Devon is proportionately half as much as the national average for England.

This means that while social housing nationally accounts for around 17-18% of all homes, in Devon it is closer to 8-9%, highlighting a significant shortfall in affordable housing provision across the whole county.

Myth 3: Social housing is cheap to build

Building a new home costs around £200,000 to £250,000 and it can take more than 30 years to recover those costs through rent. For example, a home rented at £500 a month generates £6,000 a year which means it would take more than 33 years to reach £200,000, not accounting for maintenance costs, void periods or inflation.

This is why social housing is a long-term investment, not a short-term gain. Every penny we make is reinvested into maintaining our homes, building new ones and improving services.

Myth 4: Social housing is less energy efficient

Our homes are often more energy efficient than those in the private rented sector or owner-occupied market. In the last financial year, we invested £4.7m in planned improvements to our properties.

This included insulation, heating upgrades and energy-saving technologies, all of which helped customers reduce their bills and carbon emissions.

Myth 5: Social housing doesn’t benefit the local economy

We contribute millions to the local economy every year. From employing local contractors to supporting apprenticeships and community initiatives, our work creates jobs, builds skills and strengthens North Devon’s economic resilience.

As highlighted in the recent PlaceShapers report Realising the Potential of Housing Associations in Places and Communities, housing associations like North Devon Homes are central to local economic resilience — supporting jobs, training, and wellbeing across the region.

Thank you for reading these social housing myths. We will be continuing to challenge more of the misconceptions surrounding social housing in our next column.

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