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Increase in UK empty homes
The number of empty homes in England increased by 1.8 per cent in 2011, according to data published today by Halifax. The total jumped from 650,127 in April 2010 to 662,105 in the same period of this year. Forty-four per cent of those have been empty for more than six months, accounting for 1.6 per cent of all private homes in England. London and the south east have lowest proportion of long-term unoccupied homes at 1.1 per cent and one per cent respectively, while the north west has most, at 2.5 per cent.