General Election 2010 What the Parties Say – Housing
The Conservative Party – Housing Give local councils money for every new house that is built in their area. Get companies to take over council houses, but only where most people agree. People who live in council houses with five years of "good behaviour" should be given 10% of the home. Stop people who are buying their first home which costs less than £250,000 should not have to pay the special tax on buying homes. Get rid of Home Information Packs, which house owners have to provide to people when they are selling their homes.
The Labour Party – Housing Build 200,000 new houses a year until 2016, then 240,000 a year until New companies to be set up by councils to build new, cheap housing. Continue to use Home Information Packs when people are selling their houses. Continue home ownership schemes to help people who need help to buy a home. Continue to make everyone who buys a house worth over £125,000 pay the special tax on buying houses BUT for 2 years, stop people who are buying their first house have to pay it if they are spending less than £250,000. Remind everyone that since Labour have been in charge there are less homeless people and less people living rough.
The Liberal Democrats – Housing Allow local councils to decide how many and what type of homes are needed in their area. Build tens of thousands of houses to rent at a low cost. Every council houses sold to people who live there should be replaced. Let councils keep and use the money they get when they sell one of their houses. Stop people losing money if house prices fall. Give people loans to help them save energy in their homes.
The Green Party – Housing Provide £6 billion to councils to buy up and convert (or build) 60,000 new houses to rent, making sure the houses will save energy. Provide £3 billion to local councils to buy homes which people are about to lose because they cannot afford them and rent them back to the people. Insulate all un-insulated houses over 5 years. Give groups money to help people to set up groups to house poorer people.
UKIP – Housing People who arrive in the UK will not get council houses unless they have a job. Make sure people who have waited the longest for a council house get one. Make sure local councils decide how many houses are built in their area. Get rid of Home Information Packs. Stop the need to prove that houses save energy.