Tenants in social housing who get a new job in another part of the country will no longer have to sacrifice their home for their job.
The government is working on new legislation which will ensure that local authorities (town halls) adopt a Right to Move guarantee for all existing council or housing association tenants.
The proposal to change the legislation has received a widespread support in a consultation with the public, launched last September.
Currently social tenants who need to move home because they had found a new job or apprenticeship some place else, sometimes have difficulty securing a new social tenancy in a different local authority area as they will often be competing for housing with applicants classed as having a higher need.
Councils will now have to extend the ‘hardship’ criteria to include those moving for work.
The new statutory guidance will also ensure that every council in England will have to set aside a small proportion of lets for tenants who need to move because of work or training.
Authorities will be required to provide at least 1% of their existing stock under the Right to Move scheme, although they would be free to offer more.
Any town hall that decides to offer less will need to explain to voters why.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said:
“Tenants who want to work hard and get on in life should be supported in their goal – not penalized for it.
“Councils will now have to work to ensure social tenants are no longer forced to choose between their home or the chance of a new job which could transform their lives.
“The Right to Move guarantee will mean existing tenants who need to move closer to work or who are offered employment in a new community can move on and move up – not find themselves back at square one on the housing waiting list.”
