Pembrokeshire has the third highest amount of long-term empty homes in all of Wales according to recently released data.

According to government data, as well as gathered data from local councils through Freedom of Information requests, Pembrokeshire has 25.7 per 1,000 homes that have been sitting empty for at least six months.

Properties that have been empty for more than six months are officially categorised as 'long-term vacant'. The British average, according to the data, is 10.6 per 1,000 properties.

Although Pembrokeshire ranks highly in homes empty for at least six months, the county does not feature in the top ten for homes empty for between two and four years, between five and nine years or for more than ten years.

This may be due to Pembrokeshire County Council's policy of charging a council premium for properties empty for more than three years.

From April 1 2019 a 25 percent council tax premium has been levied on properties empty for three years or more meaning they would pay 125 percent annual council tax.

From April 1 last year properties empty for four years or more have been subject to a 50 percent premium and from April this year.

From April 1 this year, owners of properties empty for five years or more have had to pay double council tax.

The research, published by Admiral, revealed that there are currently 25,701 homes across Wales that have been vacant for at least six months equivalent to 17.9 in every 1,000 houses. Collectively, these homes have a value of £4,240,665,000.

Rhondda Cynon Taf was revealed to have the highest number of longer-term (more than 2 years) vacant houses in Wales, as well as the highest number of empty houses that have stood unused for two to four years; five to nine years and more than 10 years respectively.