People currently living in West Lancs Council accommodation have had some good news with the Government scrapping proposals to force those who earn over £31,000 a year to pay more in rent for their homes.

It was announced earlier this year that the Government was planning to introduce a ‘Pay to stay’ scheme for Council tenants across the United Kingdom from April 2017. This could have meant people current 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 West Lancashire 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 exemption for pensioners.

But now the government has decided not to bring this plan into force in that form after reviewing the proposals.

Councillor Jenny Patterson, 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 please visit www.westlancs.gov.uk/housing.