Tories: Give council house tenants a 10 per cent share
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Council and housing association tenants should be given a 10 per cent "share" in their homes which they could cash in when they move out, the Tories will propose today.
The money would be handed to tenants who had a five-year record of good behaviour and who leave to buy their own home. It would give them a deposit towards their own property.
The idea, which builds on Margaret Thatcher's right-to-buy scheme for council tenants, will be recommended by a policy review group on public services set up by David Cameron.
Its report says: "Increased mobility within social housing can help more people onto the housing ladder; can help to create mixed-tenure neighbourhoods; and can help to free up social housing stock to meet demand and to address some of the overcrowding that exists."
The group, co-chaired by the former health secretary Stephen Dorrell, says: "Some housing estates have become epicentres of poverty and crime, fuelling poor public health, truancy and educational failure as well as mental illness. Housing ought to be central to all improvements in wellbeing for the individual and for society. Where you live can indicate how long you will live."
It says that social tenants in "dead-end ghettoes" are trapped in "a vicious cycle of deprivation and corresponding poor educational attainment and ill health."
Yesterday, the Tories promised they would "not spend a penny less than Labour" on public services after announcing they would match Labour's spending plans for the next four years.
George Osborne, the shadow Chancellor, said the move would create "headroom" for lower taxes because the economy is expected to grow faster than public spending.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments