Nigel Farage Brands Black Country 'HMO Capital of Britain' During Sedgley Visit
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has sparked controversy by labeling the Black Country the 'HMO capital of Britain' during a campaign visit to Sedgley. The outspoken political figure, whose party is anticipated to make significant gains in the upcoming Dudley Council elections on May 7, hit the campaign trail on April 20 to engage with voters and advocate for stricter immigration policies.
Criticism of Local Immigration Measures
Mr Farage dismissed Dudley Council's claim that there is only one asylum hotel in the borough, which is set to close soon, arguing that this will not resolve underlying issues. He stated, "Hotels closing on the face of it might look like good news but it's probably incredibly bad news because the people who were in the hotels don't just disappear in a puff of smoke. They then get put into HMOs (homes in multiple occupation) in residential streets."
He further elaborated, "If you look at the statistics for Dudley, Wolverhampton, look at Smethwick, look at all these towns around here, basically you guys here are the HMO capitals of Britain."
Call for Local Authority Action
Mr Farage urged local authorities to take a firm stance against planning applications that seek to convert private dwellings into HMOs. He emphasized the potential for councils to be more assertive, saying of Reform UK-controlled councils, "We'd be very bloody-minded, there is a lot we can do about change of use. The council could make things much more difficult."
He also rejected the notion that planners are powerless to reject applications based on the occupancy by specific groups, which is not considered a planning matter. Mr Farage criticized what he perceives as a defeatist attitude, remarking, "'There is nothing we can do' – we hear it everywhere in the country these days, it's like we have given up. We might as well wave a bloody white flag over the town hall."
He suggested that if multiple local authorities resisted central government, it could lead to changes, stating, "I think the truth is if lots of local authorities were to stand up and fight central government, or even just a handful were to stand up and fight central government, central government would probably put HMOs elsewhere because they wouldn't want the aggro."
HMO Statistics in the Region and Beyond
While councils do not maintain comprehensive data on all HMOs in their areas, Office for National Statistics records from the 2021 census provide insights. Dwellings are categorized into small HMOs with up to four occupants, large HMOs with five or more occupants, and non-applicable dwellings where HMO definitions do not apply.
According to the data:
- Dudley has 140,193 non-applicable dwellings, 87 small HMOs, and 6 large HMOs.
- Sandwell has 134,521 non-applicable dwellings, 208 small HMOs, and 29 large HMOs.
- Wolverhampton has 112,187 non-applicable dwellings, 187 small HMOs, and 28 large HMOs.
Comparatively, other areas show varying HMO concentrations:
- Doncaster has 140,233 non-applicable dwellings, 139 small HMOs, and 39 large HMOs.
- Bromley in Kent has 141,758 non-applicable dwellings, 271 small HMOs, and 54 large HMOs.
- Shropshire has 147,498 non-applicable dwellings, 153 small HMOs, and 106 large HMOs.
Larger urban centers tend to have higher HMO numbers:
- Nottingham has 130,258 non-applicable dwellings, 2,066 small HMOs, and 2,085 large HMOs.
- Leicester has 132,889 non-applicable dwellings, 1,311 small HMOs, and 459 large HMOs.
- Kingston upon Hull has 122,008 non-applicable dwellings, 628 small HMOs, and 290 large HMOs.
This visit underscores the ongoing debate over housing, immigration, and local governance as election day approaches.
