19 December 2008
By Neil Merrick
The government has put an extra £1m towards schemes that give council and housing association tenants greater choice over where they live. The latest allocations, announced on December 12, mean that an extra 30 authorities — along with local housing associations — should be covered by choice-based letting schemes by the end of 2009. They include five sub-regional schemes, in areas such as Cumbria and Dorset. This will make it easier for tenants to move across council boundaries. A scheme in Greater Manchester, launched in July, is being extended to tenants with disabilities. The government has spent almost £20m encouraging choice-based lettings over the past seven years. It wants every authority in England to be involved in a scheme by 2010. Junior housing minister Iain Wright said choice-based lettings gave tenants greater control and choice over their housing. ‘By offering services across traditional local authority boundaries, the costs for councils and housing associations reduce,’ he added.
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