Carlisle has almost 1,000 empty homes according to the latest figures provided by the city council, but housing chiefs claim they are mounting a “strong response” to the crisis.

The figure - including private homes, commercial homes owned by landlords and housing associations properties - has also been revealed at a time when the number of rough sleepers across the UK  is on the rise.

The authority revealed the figures as councils nationwide mark Empty Homes Week (October 15 to October 21), a nationwide initiative to tackle the problem which is blighting towns and cities across the UK.

Every year, local authorities use this week as an opportunity to organise events and put out information so that people in their area can find out about the type of help that is available locally.

Responding to the problem, the council has this year recruited a dedicated Empty Homes officer and claims to have beefed up its response to the problem.

A city council spokeswoman said: “Carlisle now has a dedicated empty homes officer and developed a strong response to managing empty homes in our city.

“We have enhanced our webpages which include detailed information for empty home owners explaining the options available for bringing their empty property back into use.

“There are currently 971 properties identified empty and substantially unfurnished for six months or more, of these 338 properties have been empty for over two years. Prioritisation is currently focusing on those properties that have been empty for two years of more.

“In partnership with councillors, we help to spread the word about options available to empty home owners and encourage owners to work with the Empty Homes Officer.”

The city council also works

with the Revenues and Benefits Service to identify and contact property owners of empty homes and encourage them to make contact.

Officers also target owners of homes that have been empty for two years or more with letters, phone calls and questionnaires to find out the status of the property, to provide help and where possible to get the home back to residential use.

In extreme cases, the council can use an Enforced Sales Policy to deal with houses that have been a blight to neighbourhoods for many years – or when owners have been uncooperative or impossible to contact.

The sale is used to recover costs incurred by the council and will provide an opportunity for another owner to bring the property to a habitable state.

The city council also has links with Homesmatch service, a nationwide company which runs a matchmaking service linking properties with potential buyers.

Provided the property has been empty for two or more years immediately before work starts, owners can save 15 per cent VAT on many repairs costs. This is proving a popular option and is increasing the number of empty homes renovated and brought back into use.

The spokeswoman added: “The empty homes officer is always available to provide advice and information on bringing empty homes into use and to use our legal powers to reduce the impact of empty properties on the local neighbourhood and community.”