Empty homes are becoming an increasingly visible issue in towns and cities across the UK. Whether they’re left unoccupied due to inheritance delays, investment speculation, or disrepair, these properties can become a blight on neighbourhoods and a wasted resource amid the housing crisis. But have you ever wondered which areas in the UK have the highest number of vacant homes?

A new study, conducted by real estate experts at Five Star Cash Offer, who specialise in buying properties directly from homeowners looking to sell quickly, analysed housing data from 200 areas across the UK. They used government figures to determine which areas had the highest share of vacant homes in relation to the total housing stock.

To get the full picture, the researchers looked at the number of empty residential properties in each area and compared this to the total number of homes.

Blackpool ranks sixth with a vacancy rate of 4.36%, equating to 3,198 empty homes out of 73,328. The iconic seaside destination, once the go-to holiday spot for generations of Brits, is facing some post-tourism challenges.

Blackpool named among top 10 UK areas with the highest number of vacant homes

placeholder image — Blackpool named among top 10 UK areas with the highest number of vacant homes

Economic shifts, reduced visitor numbers outside peak seasons, and high rates of housing disrepair have left thousands of homes empty. These vacancies are not just eyesores, they represent missed opportunities to provide shelter and revitalise the town’s housing stock.

Kingston upon Thames holds 1st place with 3,303 vacant homes from 70,527, yielding a vacancy rate of 4.68%. Liverpool is 2nd, with 10,779 of its 232,952 homes unoccupied, or 4.63%. Middlesbrough ranks 3rd, with 3,030 out of 65,749 homes empty, resulting in a 4.61% rate. Torbay is in 4th place, showing 3,135 vacant homes from 70,082, or 4.47%.

Bolsover sits at 5th, with 1,693 vacant properties from 38,636, giving it a 4.38% rate. Hartlepool comes in 7th with 1,932 out of 45,764 homes unoccupied, or 4.22%. Portsmouth is 8th, with 3,702 vacant homes from 91,534, equating to 4.04%. Burnley ranks 9th with 1,724 out of 42,788 homes vacant, or 4.03%, and Preston rounds out the top 10 list, with 2,721 out of 67,655 homes empty, a 4.02% vacancy rate.

At the other end of the scale, Havant, Westminster, Wyre, Lewisham, Crawley, Solihull, Test Valley, Gravesham, Chichester, and Bexley reported the lowest vacancy rates in the country. All ten areas had fewer than two per cent of homes standing empty, suggesting stronger housing demand, more efficient usage, or perhaps better local housing policies in play.

Elsewhere, major cities performed variably in the rankings. Brighton and Hove placed 12th overall, indicating higher vacancy pressures than most would expect. County Durham came in at 24th, Oxford at 31st, Leeds at 33rd, and Nottingham at 40th. Meanwhile, Sheffield landed at 68th, Birmingham at 73rd, Bristol at 145th, and Manchester much further down the table at 179th.

List of top 10 areas with the most vacant homes in the study:

Rank	Area	Total housing units	Vacant housing units	Vacant Homes Rate
1	Kingston Upon Thames	70,527	3,303	4.68
2	Liverpool	232,952	10,779	4.63
3	Middlesbrough	65,749	3,030	4.61
4	Torbay	70,082	3,135	4.47
5	Bolsover	38,636	1,693	4.38
6	Blackpool	73,328	3,198	4.36
7	Hartlepool	45,764	1,932	4.22
8	Portsmouth	91,534	3,702	4.04
9	Burnley	42,788	1,724	4.03
10	Preston	67,655	2,721	4.02