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Social Rented Housing: Standards

Volume 496: debated on Monday 20 July 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many social homes in each region have not reached the Decent Homes standard; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of bringing such homes up to the standard. (283831)

The following table provides the information requested:

Number of social sector non-decent dwellings as 1 March 2008

Non-decent dwellings

Total stock

Percentage non-decent

North East

72,000

274,000

26

North West

94,000

576,000

16

Yorkshire and the Humber

104,000

424,000

24

East Midlands

53,000

305,000

17

West Midlands

62,000

424,000

15

East of England

54,000

387,000

14

London

175,000

786,000

22

South East

58,000

483,000

12

South West

41,000

306,000

13

England

714,000

3,965,000

18

Source: Annual returns, from all LAs that retain social housing stock, to Communities and Local Government and annual return from registered social landlords.

Landlord statistical returns show that the 18 per cent. of the social housing stock is non-decent compared to 38 per cent. in 2002.

The cost per house of meeting the decent homes standard varies across the country and the Department does not collect that information. Some landlords are refurbishing the houses in their area above the decent homes standard. Any higher local standard, and how that is to be achieved, will be determined by local circumstances and the level of resources that can be delivered into the programme locally. The Government expect over £40 billion to have been spent on refurbishing council houses by 2010.