Vol. 526 No. 5
95 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has made provision in his Estimates for changing the income eligibility conditions; the capital limits, the rent subsidy or the interest rates for shared ownership or for the affordable housing scheme; and the existing conditions and the proposed new conditions in this regard. [27133/00]
96 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has made provision in his Estimates for changing the income limits, capital limits, or interest rates for local authority home improvement loans; and the existing conditions and the proposed new conditions in this regard. [27134/00]
97 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has made provision in his Estimate for changing the eligibility conditions, the rate of grant, the eligible improvement works under the essential repair grant or the grant to adapt a home for a person with a disability; and the existing conditions and the proposed new conditions in this regard. [27135/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 95, 96 and 97 together.
The 2001 Abridged Estimates, published last week, include a summary of the Public Capital Programme within which provision is made for local authorities non-Exchequer capital allocations with respect to house purchase and improvement loans, disabled persons and essential repairs grants, shared ownership and affordable housing. These non-Exchequer allocations are limits to the authorities expenditure for loans etc. The actual expenditure is funded either from their own resources – mainly redemptions of their existing housing loans – or by borrowing from the Housing Finance Agency. The 2001 Abridged Estimates also includes Exchequer funding for recoupment to local authorities of two thirds of eligible expenditure under the disabled persons and essential repairs grants, rent subsidy payable under the shared ownership and the mortgage subsidy under the affordable housing schemes and any increases referred to below.
As part of the measures set out in Action on Housing, I increased the eligibility limits for the shared ownership and affordable housing schemes with effect from 15 June this year. The income eligibility limit for a single income household was increased from £20,000 to £25,000. In the case of a two income household the eligibility limit was raised from £50,000 to £62,500 using the formula 2.5 times A+B where A is the principal income and B is the subsidiary – lesser – income. The maximum local authority loan limit was increased from £50,000 to £100,000, which in the case of the affordable housing scheme can be up to 95% of the cost of the house, subject to the purchaser's ability to pay by reference to net household income.
The income limit for availing of the mortgage subsidy under the affordable housing scheme and the rent subsidy under the shared ownership scheme was increased from £16,000 to £20,000 per annum and the subsidy levels payable have also been increased as follows:
|
Household Incomeper annum |
Previous Subsidypayable per annum |
New Subsidypayable per annum |
|
£10,000 and under |
£1,600 |
£2,000 |
|
£10,001 to £12,000 |
£1,400 |
£1,800 |
|
£12,001 to £14,000 |
£1,200 |
£1,600 |
|
£14,001 to £16,000 |
£1,000 |
£1,400 |
|
£16,001 to £18,000 |
Nil |
£1,200 |
|
£18,001 to £20,000 |
Nil |
£1,000 |
|
Over £20,000 |
Nil |
Nil |
