Boroughs 'Forced To Sell Off Council Housing'

Government ministers have been accused of hiding key details of plans to force London boroughs to sell off thousands of high-value council houses. Labour issued figures claiming that the authorities will lose more council homes than all the other regions in England added together. The Housing and Planning Bill aims to force the sell-off to fund a new right to buy for housing association tenants. Ministers argue it is wasteful for boroughs to sit on properties worth £1 million or more. But shadow housing minister John Healey protested that the Government had not yet published draft regulations showing how the rules would work, despite MPs and peers already voting on the powers. Read more on the Evening Standard website.

Housing Benefit: Young People – Parliamentary Written Answer

Chris Law:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will publish draft regulations on housing benefit for 18-21 year olds.

Justin Tomlinson: Removal of automatic housing support for 18 – 21 year olds, announced in the Summer Budget 2015, will be introduced in April 2017. The Department is liaising with a range of key stakeholders as we develop the detail of the policy and once this work is complete we will bring forward detailed proposals.