Tuesday, 25 February 2014

Social Rented Housing – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps the Government is taking to ensure that local authorities are able to build or purchase properties for social housing; 
(2) how much the Government has set aside for local authorities to build or purchase properties for social housing in each of the next five years

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 6 February 2014]: Following the reform of the Housing Revenue Account and introduction of self-financing of council housing in April 2012, all stock-holding local authorities have a stable source of funding with which to make long-term business plans, which can include the provision of new affordable homes. The Government will also be making available an additional £300 million Housing Revenue Account borrowing, across 2015-16 and 2016-17, to support about 10,000 new affordable homes. In addition, local authorities can bid for a share of the £3.3 billion of Government funding to support delivery of 165,000 affordable homes between 2015 and 2018. An independent review, led by Natalie Elphicke and Keith House, will review the role that all local authorities can play in housing supply, which is due to report by end 2014.

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