This note provides information on estimates of housing need and demand in England. It includes information on some of the main factors which influence the demand and need for housing. Although there is no set definition of housing ‘need’ and ‘demand’ they can broadly be described as follows. Housing ‘demand’ is a market-driven concept and relates to the type and number of houses that households will choose to occupy based on preference and ability to pay. Housing ‘need’ is an indicator of existing deficit the number of households that do not have access to accommodation that meets certain normative standards. This measure mainly refers to the level of need for more or improved social housing. The term ‘housing requirement’ is sometimes used to combine these two measures to generate an overall picture of the housing market.