Every New Affordable Home to Cost £17,500 in Increased Housing Benefit

Taxpayers will have to fork out £17,500 in increased housing benefit costs for every new home built under the Government’s Affordable Rent programme, figures highlighted by the National Audit Office (NAO) in a new report reveal.  Despite concluding the launch of the programme to deliver 80,000 by 2015 has been a success, the NAO has concerns that there could be slippage as more than half of the homes – 45,000 – are set to be completed in the final year of the programme.  It also warns that some providers in London have concerns they may not be able to charge rents at the levels they originally agreed.  Download a copy of the report from the NAO website.