The New Homes Bonus could generate more than £6,000 per home in the affluent constituency of Richmondshire, compared to less than £300 per home in Scarborough, research by Labour has shown. The research highlights what Labour calls the “unfairness” of the New Homes Bonus scheme, launched by housing minister Grant Shapps. Under the plans, the bonus available for an ‘affordable home’ will be up to 36 per cent more than for a similar market home, equivalent to an extra £350 per house premium every year. Empty properties brought back into use will also receive the cash bonus for six years. This means councils can receive payments of almost £9,000 on average for each band D home or almost £11,000 for an equivalent affordable home. So if an area increased the number of homes by 1,000 units this could earn a community almost £10 million to spend. However, figures by Labour show that because the bonus is calculated using a national average of the council tax band of the home being built, poorer areas won’t be able to attract as much cash as more affluent areas. This is because the homes they build are more likely to be in the lower council tax bands. Read more on 24dash.
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