Making private sector homes decent
In 2002 the ODPMs Public Service Agreement (PSA)7 to make all homes in the social sector decent by 2010 was extended to include an increase in the number of vulnerable households in the private sector living in decent homes.
The 2001 English House Condition Survey estimated that as at April 2001 around 1.6 million, or 57%, of vulnerable households in the private sector lived in decent homes. The Government expects this to increase to 65% by 2006, 70% by 2010 and 75% by 2020. Local authority power to provide assistance for repairs and improvements is expected be one of key vehicles for delivering these increases.
A decent home – summary of the definition
The Department of Communities and Local Government has defined what is a decent home in “A Decent Home: Definition and guidance for implementation” which was updated in June 2006.
The update was to reflect the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) which replaced the Housing Fitness Standard on 6 April 2006.
A decent home meets the following four criteria:
- It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housing. Dwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those containing one or more hazards assessed as serious - ‘Category 1’ - under the HHSRS.
- It is in a reasonable state of repair. Dwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those where either:
- one or more of the key building components are old and, because of their condition, need replacing or major repair; or
- two or more of the other building components are old and, because of their condition, need replacing or major repair.
- It has reasonably modern facilities and services. Dwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those which lack three or more of the following:
- a reasonably modern kitchen (20 years old or less);
- a kitchen with adequate space and layout;
- a reasonably modern bathroom (30 years old or less);
- an appropriately located bathroom and WC;
- adequate insulation against external noise (where external noise is a problem); and
- adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats.
- It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort. This criterion requires dwellings to have both effective insulation and efficient heating.
What is a vulnerable household?
A vulnerable household is one that receives one or more of a number of income-related or disability benefits. These benefits are: income support, housing benefit, council tax benefit, disabled persons tax credit, income based job seekers allowance, working families tax credit, attendance allowance, disability living allowance, industrial injuries, disablement benefit, war disablement pension.
In addition to the benefits described in the previous paragraph, pension credit is included as a qualifying benefit. Also households in receipt of either working tax credit which includes a disability element or child tax credit will qualify as a vulnerable household providing the person entitled to the tax credit has a relevant income of less than £14,200, as defined for the purpose of determining eligibility for the tax credit. Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Persons Tax credit have been abolished.