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Tue 28 Feb 2012
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'Local people' to receive social housing priority
Wed 01 Sep 2010
The government is set to reveal plans to give people with strong connections to the local area priority on social housing waiting lists.
Housing minister Grant Shapps said councils should be able to use criteria such as how long a person or family has lived in the region when making their housing allocations.
He acknowledged that tensions have surfaced in some areas of the country following claims that immigrants are frequently given social housing places before local residents.
Many local authorities would like greater power over housing policy and Edward Lister, the Conservative leader of Wandsworth Council in south-west London, said he would welcome the move.
"We want to give a measure of priority to local residents. It builds stability in the community and keeps families together," he commented.
The changes are set to form part of the decentralisation and localism bill due in parliament later this year.
About five million people are currently on social housing waiting lists across the UK.
