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WELLINGTON: More than 2000 new households in a month have joined the public housing waiting list, which has grown nearly sevenfold in the past five years to 22,409.

In two months to November last year, the list increased by nearly 1000 applicants, the number coming off it and into new homes dragging well behind.

The latest figures come despite the Government and community housing providers building more public houses than ever, looking on track to build 2590 new ones for the year to June — nearly 1000 more than the original target.

Meanwhile, rents and house prices are also continuing to skyrocket.

National Party housing spokeswoman Nicola Willis has called the latest figures a ‘‘failure’’ by Labour to get on top of the nation’s housing shortage, the waiting list having increased by 8000 in the past year and nearly quadrupled since Labour entered government in 2017.

Labour, meanwhile, says it is playing catchup after National slashed public housing stock during its tenure.

The latest figures from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development show that as of November last year there were 20,275 eligible households deemed Priority A — the most critical, and 2134 as Priority B.

Overall, there are 72,807 households in public housing.

Government public housing provider Kainga Ora and community providers are on track to exceed their target of building 1600 homes by 1000, by the end of June.

Despite this, demand continues to outstrip supply, 2006 new entries and just 660 households being taken off the list and housed in November.

Wait times remain similar to previous months, at a median of 152 days.

Demand for wider housing support has also surged; close to 370,000 accessed the Accommodation Supplement in November, up from 312,000 a year ago.

Meanwhile, those accessing Emergency Housing Special Needs Grants have dropped from a record 6283 in May to 5320 in November. The Ministry of Social Development began charging people in motels and other emergency accommodation 25% of their income in October.

Ms Willis said the latest figures showed a ‘‘sad result of Labour’s continued failure to get on top of our housing shortage’’.

‘‘While many of the social houses National planned in government are now being completed, the Government hasn’t kept up the pace to deal with surging demand. Instead, it has let the situation get completely out of control.’’

The private sector needed to be freed up to build more houses, she said.

Public Housing Minister Poto Williams said one of the ‘‘motivating factors’’ for more people seeking public housing was that the Government had encouraged people to seek help.

Ms Williams also pinned some of the responsibility on the previous Nationalled government, which sold off state houses during its tenure.

‘‘The reality is a we’re playing catchup. Where National sold off state houses for nine years, we are building them.’’