Linking Rent to Pay Has Merit, Says CIH

The idea of increasing social housing rents as tenants’ earnings rise should be considered as part of a major overhaul of the allocations system, the Chartered Institute of Housing has said. In a discussion paper on reform of the social housing allocations system, the CIH puts forward the pros and cons of various possible changes to the system. It says reform is required because of a shortage of social housing, which means it is difficult to house anyone bar the poorest groups and so hampers attempts to use social housing to boost employment, social cohesion and regeneration. The paper considers making it easier for tenants to move house within the social housing system, allocations rules linked to the local needs of each area, giving priority to people who move out of under-occupied homes, greater use of private sector providers to supply social housing, and only providing public subsidy for tenants to pay rent via housing benefit rather than paying for social housing to be built. Download a copy of the report from the CIH website by clicking on the logo below.