Council Dips Into Housing Budget to Aid General Fund

Islington Council is to join a growing band of local authorities propping up their ailing general funds with housing cash by billing the budget for a significant slice of its Supporting People costs. The north London authority intends to start charging its housing revenue account £1.3 million for services that were previously funded by Supporting People. The authority was awarded nearly £15 million for the programme in 2012/13, the last year an allocation was given. Islington Council papers published last month reveal that the £1.3 million switch relates to ‘landlord services’ previously charged to the general fund. Read more on Inside Housing.