15.10.13
Council homes prioritised for ‘local people’ under new rules
Applicants for social housing must have lived in the local area for at least two years, new restrictions introduced by the Government require.
Communities secretary Eric Pickles announced that people with a well-established local residency or connection to an area get priority for the waiting list for social housing. Statutory guidance has been published, requiring councils to make data on nationality and ‘other characteristics’ of social tenants publically available.
An exception will be made for members of the Armed Forces, who will also be given priority for social housing.
Pickles said: “This Government is standing up for hard-working people. Local residents and the Armed Forces should be first in line for social housing. This is part of decisive package of Government reforms to tackle unsustainable immigration.”
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