Our impact strategy

Cornwall’s housing crisis

Cornwall is facing a growing housing crisis.

Many local people are struggling to find affordable homes, leading to an alarming rise in homelessness. In the face of the current housing crisis, we believe everyone in Cornwall deserves a safe, stable place to live, and we need your help to make this a reality.

That is why we are launching the Cornwall Housing Crisis FundA sum of money made available for grant making, often with specific criteria/conditions.. To provide urgent support to those at risk of losing their homes and increase the number of affordable housing options across the region. This fund will support local groups working on the frontlines of homelessness, help build affordable homes, and advocate for long-term solutions.

Key figures: 
Cornwall housing crisis

The lack of affordable housing in Cornwall exacerbates other issues faced by our communities such as the cost-of-living crisis, rural isolationLack of access to people, services and transportation due to rural location. and in-work poverty and the reality of the situation is startling.

The average house price in Cornwall in 2022 is £302,121 (England £297,524)

In Cornwall in 2021 the average home cost 10.99 times average earnings

Only 11% of housing stock in Cornwall is social housing, compared to an average of 18% across England

There are over 650 households (1,200 people) in temporary accommodation

22,000 households are on the social housing waiting list

As of March 2022, approximately 29,000 homes are not lived in all year round

What we’re doing to help: 
Housing crisis

We’ve consulted with local housing and homelessness organisations and identified two key areas we will be focusing our support:

Supporting Frontline Organisations: We will provide long-term, flexible funding to organizations that are helping those in immediate need. Many of these groups are under strain, with 89% reporting a huge rise in demand for their services since 2020. They need our support to continue offering critical care, including mental health support, housing advice, and emergency shelter.
Boosting Community-Owned Housing ProjectsA piece of work that delivers an output.: We’re creating a 0% interest loan fund to kickstart affordable housing projects run by local communities. These initiatives, like Community Land Trusts, focus on building homes for people with strong local ties. The fund will provide interest-free loans for early-stage feasibility studies, helping make these projects a reality and providing homes for those in need.

Read our Housing crisis survey 2024 for more information.

Challenges: Housing crisis

Lack of access to truly affordable houses across Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly.
Accessibility of funding for organisations such as local Community Land Trusts.
Distribution of funding for housing development feasibility studies across Cornwall.
Council owned properties which don’t meet habitation standards.

Our goal

We need to raise £3 million to fund these vital initiatives and provide long-term solutions to Cornwall’s housing crisis. Every donation, no matter how small, will help us get closer to our goal of ensuring that everyone in Cornwall has a place to call home.

Together, we can create a future where no one is left without a roof over their head. Please donate today:

Appeal: A home for all

Stories of support:
Truro Homeless Action Group

Truro Homeless Action Group (THAG) aims to provide food and shelter for homeless and vulnerable people in Truro. First formed 22 years ago, THAG has been a warm hug for many who have found themselves in financial hardship. Around thirty-five volunteers give two or more hours a week to provide a cooked breakfast all year round whilst reducing the feeling of isolation through a friendly and safe environment, where people can feel valued and appreciated. CCF have provided seven grants since 2008 totalling £13,040, supporting core running costsThe running costs of your organisation. This is the money you need to make your work happen. These are also called overheads, running costs or operating costs. such as utility bills and breakfast food provision.

Read story

Housing questions, answered

Yes, in February 2022 Cornwall Council announced that Cornwall in in the midst of a housing crisis.

43 people are sleeping rough on any given night and 27,407 households are on the social housing lists.

The provisional average house price in Cornwall in May 2024 was £299,000. This was slightly lower than the average of £303,000 in May 2023 (revised), a 1.2% fall.
Across Great Britain, a home sold for an average of £288,000 in May 2024, which was up from the May 2023 average of £282,000.
Source

The median property price to median earnings ratio in Cornwall is 9.6. Ie. Cornwall resident with middle-income needs 9.6 gross annual salaries to buy a medium-priced property. Resident in Cornwall needs 9.6 annual salaries. The England and Wales ratio was 8.16 in 2022.
Source

Although rental prices are less in Cornwall than the rest of Great Britain the issue is a lack of stock.

The average monthly private rent in Cornwall was £898 in June 2024. This was an increase from £865 in June 2023, a 3.8% rise.
Across Great Britain, the average rent price in June 2024 was £1,271, which was up from £1,170 in June 2023.

Cornwall Council will spend more than £3.4bn of capital on housing in the next 10 years, and the council has set a delivery target of 52,500 new homes by 2030.
The figure also includes £82m over five years for a new Cornwall Supported Housing Strategy, which aims to deliver over 48,000 supported housing properties by 2050.
Source

Get help for an organisation

If you are a community groups looking for grant funding, you can contact our Outreach Officer. They can answer your questions and guide you through the process. They aim to get back to you within three working days.