Council tenants’ boost as ‘pay to stay’ axed
PEOPLE living in council accommodation in West Lancashire have had some good news with the Government scrapping proposals to force those who earn more than £31,000 a year to pay more rent.
It was announced earlier this year that the Government was planning to introduce a “pay to stay” scheme for council tenants throughout Britain from April 2017.
This could have meant council tenants in West Lancashire who earned more than £31,000 would have had to pay increased rents, possibly up to levels in the private housing market.
It is estimated that up to 1,700 council tenants in the borough could have been affected by the new rules and could possibly have faced rent rises.
The new rules would have applied to all tenants except those receiving housing benefit or universal credit.
There would have been no exemptions for pensioners.
But now the Government has decided not to bring the plan into force in that form after reviewing the proposals.
Cllr Jenny Patterson, West Lancashire Council portfolio holder for housing and landlord services, said: “It is good news for our current tenants that this scheme will not proceed as many of them could have faced having to pay increased rent in order to stay in council accommodation and this increase in rent would have gone to Government and not reinvested locally.”
For more information on West Lancashire Borough Council housing, visit www.westlancs.gov. uk/housing