04.02.13
Government allocates New Homes Bonus cash for 2013-14
The Government has published the final list of councils getting funding through the New Homes Bonus.
Under the scheme, worth £1.3bn to councils between 2011 and 2014, the Government matches the council tax raised from new homes over six years. It is also available for councils reducing the number of long-term empty homes, and there is an additional £350 annual premium for new affordable homes.
Housing minister Mark Prisk said almost a third of the top 30 recipients are in the Midlands and the north of England. He said: “This country needs to build more homes, and that’s why the government is giving communities a reason to say ‘yes’ to growth through the New Homes Bonus.
“We’re backing those councils that build the homes people need. This brings the New Homes Bonus to £1.3 billion, and is a direct result of 142,000 homes being built, plus a further 18,000 long-term empty homes being brought back into use. That’s good news for councils, communities and families.”
The allocation announced on Friday is for the 2013-14 financial year, totalling £668m.
The Department for Communities and Local Government praised the work of councils using the cash in innovative ways, such as Wakefield District Council, which worked with a local credit union to launch three new loans, funded via the New Homes Bonus, to help owners repair their properties and rent them out or sell them.
Leicestershire County Council used its bonus grant for delivering more rural housing in the county, while North Tyneside Council used some of its grant towards a £3.1m revamp of a library in North Shields, part of a wider regeneration that will also include refurbished residential properties.
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