Prisk Praises Council for 'Ripping Up Social Housing Rulebook'

Housing minister Mark Prisk has praised a London borough's plans to "rip up the social housing rule book" as it bids to introduce two-year fixed-term tenancies for under 25s and ban households earning more than £40,200 from accessing the housing register, instead, directing them towards low-cost homeownership.  Conservative-run Hammersmith and Fulham Council is aiming to introduce the policies in April 2013 - alongside plans to prioritise workers and those making a contribution to the community (e.g. ex-service personnel and foster carers) in its allocations and preventing the children of tenants inheriting their council property.  Under its tenancy reform, it wants to introduce five-year fixed-term tenancies as the norm, with two years for those aged 18-25 or with a history of anti-social behaviour. Secure tenancies, it said, will still be available for the most vulnerable residents. It will also only consider granting tenancies for those with a five-year local connection to the borough who are in clear housing need.  Mr Prisk said the council was "taking firm action to ensure that their homes are reserved for those who genuinely need and deserve them the most". Read more on 24dash.

Labour: Workers to Get Social Housing Priority

The Labour Party is drawing up a national housing policy that will give people with jobs priority for a social home. The opposition party gave the first indications of its future housing policy ahead of next month’s annual conference in Liverpool in an article written exclusively for Inside Housing. In it shadow communities secretary Caroline Flint attempted to place clear water between Labour’s approach to social housing and that of the coalition government. She said councils would be able to use social housing to reward people in work and create mixed communities. Read more on Inside Housing.