HC Deb 11 January 2002 vol 377 cc1053-4W
Jeremy Corbyn

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the likely rent levels for local authority tenants in each Greater London borough following the proposed rent re-structuring. [25232]

Ms Keeble

Individual local authorities retain responsibility for rent setting. Rents following restructuring will depend, among other things, on the outcome of future spending reviews.

Mr. Wray

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance he issues on who is given priority for council housing; and what priority is given to the homeless when they apply. [26631]

Ms Keeble

Section 167(2) of the Housing Act 1996 requires that, in framing its allocation scheme, an authority shall ensure that reasonable preference is given to certain categories of persons. These are

  1. (a) People occupying insanitary or overcrowded housing or otherwise living in unsatisfactory housing conditions
  2. (b) People occupying housing accommodation which is temporary of occupied on insecure terms
  3. (c) Families with dependent children
  4. (d) Households consisting of or including someone who is expecting a child
  5. (e) Households consisting of or including someone with a particular need for settled accommodation on medical or welfare grounds
  6. (f) Households whose social or economic circumstances are such that they have difficulty in securing settled accommodation; and
  7. (g) Households who are, or have been, owed a main homelessness duty (ie people found to be unintentionally homeless and in priority need).

Section 167 also requires that additional preference be given to households consisting of or including someone with a particular need for settled accommodation on medical or welfare grounds who cannot reasonably be expected to find settled accommodation for themselves in the foreseeable future.

The Code of Guidance on Allocations and Homelessness, issued in 1996, gives guidance on how local authorities should discharge their functions under Parts 6 (allocations) and 7 (homelessness) of the Housing Act 1996. The code makes clear that it is for each authority to consider how to reflect the categories set out in s.167(2) in their allocations scheme, although generally they should ensure that greater preference is given to the more severe cases of need.

The Homelessness Bill will amend the reasonable preference categories. However, households who are owed a main homelessness duty will continue to be given priority for housing under the new provisions. We will be issuing a revised Code of Guidance to accompany the changes to the legislation.