Corbyn Challenged Over UC Eviction Rates Claim

Gloucester City Homes (GCH) was said by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to have “evicted one in eight of all of its tenants because of Universal Credit”. GCH says the evictions quoted by Corbyn relate to eight of the current 66 UC claimants at September 2017 – compared to GCH’s overall eviction rate of one tenant for the remaining 4,442 tenanted homes. Last month, alongside 137 other housing providers, GCH provided an update to the Commons Select Committee; Universal Credit Inquiry with information based on its experience to date. The association concedes that this was the likely source of the Corbyn claim. Read more on 24housing.

Council Social Housing Handed Over To Firm

The local authority in Gloucester is transferring the ownership of its social housing to an association. Gloucester City Council said the deal with Gloucester City Homes (GCH) will lead to £110m additional investment in city homes over the next 30 years. The handover follows two years of consultation with the occupiers of 4,800 properties in the city who voted in favour of the move. GCH has managed the council's housing stock since 2005. Read more on the BBC website.

£30m for New Housing As ALMO Takes Ownership of Council's Stock

The Housing Minister has announced a proposed transfer of 4,800 council homes into the full ownership of an ALMO. It is hoped the move will lead to up to £30 million being unlocked and invested in new homes for Gloucester - the first new social housing the area has seen since the 1980s. Gloucester City Homes, which has managed Gloucester City Council's homes since 2005, will take control of the housing stock as the council finally relinquishes all responsibility. Under the terms of the deal, by transferring the homes to GCH, the council will see its £50m in historic housing debt wiped out by the government. However, the transfer must now go to a tenants’ vote, which will ultimately decide if GCH takes complete control. Read more on the GovUK website.