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Government slashes housing budget

Wednesday, 20 October 2010 6:00 PM

The government has slashed the social housing budget by over 50 per cent from £8.4 billion over the previous three-year period to £4.4 billion, saying it will invest £4.5 billion in 150,000 new affordable homes over the spending review period.

It will also carry out a major reform of social housing in this country, said George Osborne, outlining changes made in the government's 2010 spending review.

Included in this reform will be a shift in responsibility to local councils and a scheme which allows social landlords to charge tenants a weekly rent between social and market rates.

In addition, over £2 billion has been allocated to the Decent Homes programme, which improves housing for vulnerable people.

Other changes include a new cap on Local Housing Allowance to single claimants under 35 who are living in the private rented sector. They will now be restricted to the rate for a single room in a shared house rather than in a one-bedroom property.

Communities and Local Government secretary Eric Pickles said: "We have that seen that the old system of house building simply did not work. We are making the money available and delivering the reform to build and upgrade thousands of affordable homes for people on lower incomes over the next four years."

These cuts are likely to attract controversy due to plans to subsidise budget cuts by forcing those on housing benefit to pay a higher rent.

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