Social Rented Housing: White Papers – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his timescale is for publishing a social housing White Paper; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: We will bring forward a Social Housing White Paper, which will set out further measures to empower tenants and support the continued supply of social homes. This will include measures to provide greater redress, better regulation and improve the quality of social housing. We are working to bring forward the White Paper as quickly as possible.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2020-01-16/4299

Councils Sound Warning Over Pay To Stay Timetable

The government is facing pressure from councils over the “horrendously short” timescale required to implement its controversial Pay to Stay policy by April next year.  At a recent meeting with civil servants local authority officers said they will struggle to introduce systems to carry out the policy in time.  It is understood that under a draft timetable, councils will be expected to gather information from tenants on their earnings from September and October. By Christmas, councils will have to start preparing people with notices to raise their rents in April 2017. If tenants do not disclose their wages, then it will be assumed that they earn more than the £31,000/£41,000 threshold. Read more on Inside Housing.