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Shapps hails progress in social housing conditions

Thursday, 1 December 2011 12:24 PM

The government programme to bring all social housing up to a decent standard took another big step towards completion last year.

The number of "non-decent" council homes fell by more than a quarter with councils fitting 110,000 new kitchens, 82,000 new bathrooms and 126,000 new central heating systems into their properties.

The Decent Homes programme was set up by the Labour government in 2001 to bring all social housing up to basic standards on factors such as warmth and comfort.

The original target of all homes meeting the standard was missed. However, the latest progress means 93 per cent of social homes meet the standard, up from 92 per cent a year ago and 90 per cent in 2009.

Housing minister Grant Shapps hailed the "rapid and impressive progress" made this year as a vindication of the coalition's decision to continue £2.1 billion of investment in Decent Homes.

He said: "I fully expect to see the numbers of refurbished properties rise further over the next few years so that more families benefit from the vast improvements to their homes that they have waited so long for."

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