Government Faces U-Turn Over ‘Pay To Stay’

“Pay to stay”, if implemented, would see tenants charged market rates once they earn over £30,000. Critics say this would result in sharp increases in rent that would force working families out of council homes. Peers voted by 240 to 176 in support of a Labour-led amendment to give local councils the discretion over whether to implement the charge, rather than making it mandatory. They then voted 281-179 to back an amendment to lower the “taper rate” from 20p to 10p in every pound, so lower-paid families would not be hit as hard. The hat-trick of defeats was completed when the Lords voted 266 to 175 to increase the “pay to stay” threshold by £10,000. Read more on the Huffington Post website.