Thursday, 5 February 2015

Social Rented Housing: Standards – House of Lords Written Answer

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to extend the Decent Homes Backlog Funding initiative beyond 2015–16

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Spending decisions for 2016-17 onwards are a matter for the next Spending Review. £1.6 billion worth of funding was awarded to local authorities to tackle their Decent Homes backlog in 2011-15. A further £165 million was awarded for year 2015-16. Since the abolition of the Housing Revenue Account subsidy system in April 2012, councils have greater freedoms including the retention of their full rental income. This means that all 167 council landlords in England have a long term, stable source of funding, which they can use to plan better to meet the needs of their tenants and local area. These councils have, on average, 15% more to spend on managing and maintaining their homes, including meeting the Decent Homes Standard, than under the previous system.

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