CCR-PUBLICSECTOR CCR-PS
T
he government has made landmark changes to spread home ownership to millions. Our Housing Bill will offer over a
million people a helping hand onto the housing ladder. That is what a government for working people is about – making sure people have the security they need to build a brighter future for them and their families. Schemes like Help to Buy are helping
thousands of people who want to buy their own home – but we need to go further. Anyone who works hard and wants to
get on the property ladder should have the opportunity to do so, which is why the Queen’s Speech included measures so a million more people have the chance to do exactly that. And with housing statistics at their
highest since 2007, we will take steps that will get workers on sites and keep the country building. The vast majority of people want to
own their own home. While substantial progress has already been made in helping people achieve this – with more than 200,000 households helped to buy a home since 2010 through government-backed schemes – further action must be taken. The bill includes a comprehensive
range of measures to offer England’s 1.3 million housing association tenants
12
the chance to benefit from the same opportunities council tenants enjoy, with significant discounts to buy their homes. Receipts from selling current property
will help build replacement affordable homes on a one-for-one basis. This means the number of homes across all tenures will effectively double for each home sold, increasing national housing supply and creating a new affordable home for those in need from each sale.
Right to Buy Discounts available under the Right to Buy were significantly increased in 2012, and currently stand at a maximum £77,900 outside London and £103,900 in the capital. But this only applies to those who
live in council housing, or whose homes have transferred from a council to a housing association. It means social tenants living in the same neighbourhood
The bill will confirm housing as a priority for the government, and ensure home ownership is again seen as an attainable aspiration First-time buyers will be further helped
by plans to deliver 200,000 Starter Homes, which will be available at a 20% discount to first-time buyers under 40. A ‘Right to Build’ in the bill will also
help increase housing supply and diversify the housing sector by giving people the right to be allocated land with planning permission for them to self-build or commission a local builder to build a home. Self-build delivers a majority of homes in many other countries and can act as a boost to smaller and medium sized builders. The bill will confirm housing as a
priority for the government, and ensure home ownership is once again seen as an attainable aspiration.
www.CCR-PublicSector.com
can have vastly different levels of discount – or no Right to Buy at all. The Housing Bill will create a level
playing field to ensure any social tenant wanting to buy their home would have the opportunity to do so at the same levels of discount – regardless of whether they live in a council or housing association property. The Right to Buy policy will in itself
increase house building and reduce social housing waiting lists, and housing associations will be able to use the revenues from sales to invest in more affordable housing. The sales receipts will be put toward
new affordable homes which, along with government funding, will allow one-for-
June 2015
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32