'Grim Conditions' Put Older Tenants At Risk

Vulnerable older people endure shocking conditions in the private rental sector, leaving them at risk of neglect, bullying and abuse, according to Age UK. The charity warns that, with growing numbers of people renting into their old age, urgent reforms are needed to make sure older tenants are not living in "squalor". It has seen cases involving privately rented homes with only an outside toilet, homes with broken boilers and leaking taps and homes left without cooking facilities for months. Some family members of those renting told Age UK they thought the landlord was waiting for the tenant to die before taking action to improve the property. Read more on the Daily Mail website.

Council Unveils Ambitious Plans for Housing

Sheffield City Council has set out ambitious plans and priorities for council housing over the next five years. Proposals include the building or buying of 1,000 new/replacement Council homes by 2019/20 to increase the choice and availability of high quality affordable homes for people in the city, support the local economy and bring funding into Sheffield. Next year we will also be investing around £65m on council housing improvements with a focus on works such as replacement heating systems, insulation, new roofs and plans for the installation of solar panels which make homes more energy efficient, reduce bills and help people stay warm in their own homes. Read more on the Sheffield City Council website.

New Council Tax Cut for Families Staying Together

Eric Pickles has announced new government plans to remove an unfair Council Tax surcharge on family annexes and home improvements, to help support extended families. In total, 3 taxes are being cut on home improvements to increase provision of local affordable housing for families both young and old.  Many families benefit from living in properties with self-contained annexes that allow them to house or care for extended family members. The current Council Tax system unfairly penalises those with family annexes through double taxation - householders are billed a second time for the annexes in addition to their payment for their main property. Mr Pickles is proposing a new national discount for all family annexes (not just those for older people), as a quick and easy way to remove this Council Tax surcharge from the system, saving an average £485 a year on a typical £2,427 combined yearly bill. Read more on the Govuk website.

£125m Green Deal Cashback Scheme Opens

The Green Deal Cashback Scheme is open, with hundreds of pounds of cash available to householders in England and Wales who make energy saving home improvements.  Householders who use the Green Deal to make improvements such as loft insulation, solid wall insulation and new heating systems will qualify. Packages could be worth over £1,000.  The more work households decide to have done, the more cash they could receive. To qualify for the Cashback Scheme, households need to book a Green Deal property assessment so they are then ready to have improvements installed under the Green Deal from 28 January and get their cashback.  Read more on the DECC website.