Council house rents

Housing minister Margaret Beckett has announced extra support for local authorities to keep council rents down.

The average guideline rent increase for council tenants will be halved from 6.2 per cent to 3.1 per cent. It is unusual to re-examine guideline rents already issued but inflation was much higher in September when the 2009/10 guidelines were set and the global downturn has created exceptional circumstances.

Local authorities are being invited to bid for additional subsidy before the end of April.