CLG Issue Impact Assessment On Housing And Planning Bill

The CLG has issued their assessment of the impact of policies and proposals set out in the Housing and Planning Bill 2015. Stock retained councils will be particularly interested in the government's assessment of the impact of the proposals in the Bill to force the sale of high value council housing and introduce a mandatory 'pay to stay' scheme for higher earning tenants. The estimates are that:

·         There are currently 350,000 council and housing association tenants with household earnings above £30,000 who would be required to pay a market or near market rent

·         The number of tenants affected is expected to rise further by April 2017 (the date of the planned introduction) because of rises in the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage and wage rises generally.

The caseload (number of tenants affected) by 2017/18 is estimated to be:

·         200,000 council tenants; and

·         240,000 housing association tenants

Read more on the ARCH website.