New rules proposed on who gets social housing
Friday, 6 January 2012 12:25 PM
Housing minister Grant Shapps has revealed plans to give councils and housing associations more flexibility in their social housing allocations.
The changes in a new consultation will allow landlords to give priority to groups such as people in work or ex-servicemen and women if they so choose.
Shapps claimed the current rules that prioritise homeless people have created a sense of unfairness about who gets to live in social housing and a common belief that tenancies only go to those who know how to play the system.
Several councils have already said they will use the new flexibilities. Westminster will give priority to people who have been working under a written contract for two years and extra points to people who have been seeking work for two years if they have been engaged with its homelessness employment project.
Southend will reserve 20 per cent of its homes for households in employment, Manchester will recognise employment status and community contribution in its allocations policy and Wandsworth will give two-year tenancies on the condition that applicants enrol on a training course or make every effort to find work.
Shapps said: "These changes will not only ensure more people benefit from the privilege of living in a social home, it will also restore pride to social housing, so a social tenancy is no longer seen as a stagnant option for life, but a launch pad to fulfil aspirations."
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