FOI request (FOIR-515986477)

Undiscovered deaths

Requested Mon 15 May 2023
Responded Thu 08 June 2023

I am conducting an investigation into undiscovered tenant deaths in social housing.

As part of this, I am sending an FOI to councils in the UK to ask how many instances of undiscovered tenant deaths there have been in council-provided housing over the last five years.

I am therefore submitting the following questions to your authority under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

1. How many cases have there been in the last five years where people have been found dead in housing provided by the council where it is believed they have been undiscovered for more than two days? Please include the statistics for each year separately.

2. How many cases have there been in the last five years where people have been found dead in housing provided by the council where it is believed they have been undiscovered for more than five days? Please include the statistics for each year separately.

3. How many cases have there been in the last five years where people have been found dead in housing provided by the council where it is believed they have been undiscovered for more than ten days? Please include the statistics for each year separately.

Response

Social housing in the borough is owned and managed by registered providers (Housing Associations). The two biggest are Orbit and Southern Housing. Hastings Borough Council holds no information in respect of undiscovered deaths in social housing properties.

Most of our temporary accommodation is owned and managed by third parties. There have been no deaths recorded.