0C(68) 66 COPY NO. j

5th Apr i l , 1968

CABINET

THE OLDER HOUSES (ENGLAND AND W A L E S ) ; D R A F T """HITS P A P E R

Memorandum by the Minister of Housing and Loca l Government and the Secretary of State f o r Wales

We attach a draft White Paper on the older houses which has been rev ised in the light of the discussion in the Min is ter ia l Committee on Housing.

2. The Chancel lor of the Exchequer has now accepted our proposals for the f igures on old and new housing which should go into the Publ ic Expenditure Survey, though without commitment, of course, on the programme to be f inally sett led. The White Paper wi l l not prejudice that settlement.

. .......... . . . . . ....... . ... ... . . .

3. The Lo rd Pres ident has said that there is no need to bring the draft before the Home Publ ic i ty Committee before it comes to the Cabinet.

4 . Subject to these points we were invited by the Housing Commit tee to bring the draft to the Cabinet as soon as poss ib le .

5. A summary of the propsals wi l l be found immediate ly before the statistical appendix to the White Paper . There are two points to which we should draw attention.

6. Paragraphs 30 to 37 contain proposals for increases in rents where tenanted property is improved and put into good repa i r . F o r houses subject to rent control , we propose that the fa ir rent provis ions of the P.enc A c t , 1965, should apply once houses have been improved with out without grant ) and repa i red . A large proport ion of houses lacking amenities or needing extensive repair are tenanted. Y7ifchout the incentive of a higher return, we cannot hope to get landlords to put these houses into good condition. We propose that the resultant rent increases should be phased over a per iod of years so that tenants wi l l not be faced with steep increases .

7. Paragraphs 44 to 51 include proposals f o r improving the compensation provis ions for unfit houses subject to s lum c learance . The principal proposal is that most owner-occupiers should, in e f fect , be paid market value when their houses are bought for c learance . There is a growing sense of injustice among owner-occupiers about the

- 1 ­

present code, v/hich l imits compensation to site value, with, some supplements. Many of them bought their houses when it was impossible to get anything better. Many local authorities consider the present code unfair to owner-occupiers and this makes them reluctant to tackle slum areas with a high proport ion of owner-occupier houses.

8. We do not propose to extend this concession to landlords. Landlords are not, l ike owner-occupiers , losing their homes ; and the gap between site and market values is genera l ly far less f o r tenanted than for owner-occupied houses. But those who have maintained their properties wi l l benefit f r o m our proposals in paragraph 51. We think it important to publish these proposals as part of our general plan for dealing with older houses. That makes it necessary to date the entitlement to the new compensation f r om the White Paper ; this wi l l avoid causing hardship to people whose homes are bought f o r c learance between now and the enactment of the legis lat ion and discouraging local authorities f r om pressing on with slum clearance in the meant ime.

9, K the draft White Paper is approved, it wi l l be published on or about 23rd A p r i l .

A . G . C . H .

Ministry of Housing and Loca l Government, S. W .1 ,

5th Ap r i l , 1968

- 2 ­

NSW HOMES FROM OLD HOUSES

I . I n t r oduc t i on

Since the war the f i r s t aims of housing p o l i c y have been to

nrovide enough houses to overcome the shortage, to keep up with

the growing number o f households and, s ince 1955? to r ep lace the

f o r S t of the o lder houses. At the same time house owners and

local author i t ies have been encouraged by subsid ies and other means

to carry out improvements. But f o r the most par t improvement has

been l e f t to i nd i v i dua l i n i t i a t i v e , and the r e s u l t s have been patchy.

How, as the r esu l t of the very l a r ge increase in house-bui ld ing in

the last few years , i t i s poss ib le to plan for a s h i f t in the

emphasis of the housing e f f o r t , so that a greater share of the

resources should go t o the improvement of o lde r houses. The need

for large new housebui lding programmes w i l l remain f o r many years

ahead. But the ba lance of need between new housebui ld ing and

improvement i s now changing, so there must be a corresponding

change in the emphasis o f the l o c a l au tho r i t y housing programmes.

2. How can th i s be brought about? Some new f a c t s have come to

light, some old f a c t s have been b e t t e r understood, some powers and

grants which were adequate when they were introduced are no longer

adequate. Loca l a u t h o r i t i e s ' powers to br ing about the improvement

of single houses and of whole areas o f houses are cumbersome and

inflexible; some aspects of the present cont ro l o f r en ts are

standing in the way o f improvement of o lder houses. A l l th i s must

be adjusted i f the change descr ibed above i s to be ach ieved .

3- This White Paper se ts out, these matters in more d e t a i l , and

says what changes in p o l i c y and law i n England and Wales the

Government propose.

I I . Knowledge

r Until 1967 the Government had to r e l y upon l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s '

G"n estimates of the number of slums in t h e i r a reas . Some of these

estimates were rather rough, and d i f f e r e n t au tho r i t i e s na tu ra l l y

aPplied d i f f e rent s tandards. Ear ly i n 1967 the Government i t s e l f

t a s a mCanded o u P l e survey of the c ond i t i on of houses in England

Wales. The survey showed that there were more un f i t houses

/ and k. r ma p. west, aa k H arararaA h '

811

laud more sub-standard houses than had heen known be f o r e , and they ysvere

so much concentrated as had "been b e l i e v ed b e f o r e , but more w-eare C1)

spread out, We now know that there are probably i.QK 'mil l ion u n f i t (1)

1f i l i ngs , o f v/hich 1 .1 v m i l l i o n are l i k e l y to have to be dea l t

lith in c learance a r eas . The remaining 700,000 w i l l have to be

dealt with i n d i v i d u a l l y . Although near ly a l l of these need ( 2 )

repairs cost ing £125 or more, some of them w i l l be worth (1 )

saving and improving. Of the 13 . 9 m i l l i o n or so dwel l ings (2)

ihich are not u n f i t , some 3 *7 m i l l i o n need r epa i r s cos t ing £125 (1)

or more and some 2a3 m i l l i o n lack one or more o f the f o l l ow ing ­an indoor l a v a t o r y , a f i x e d bath , a wash bas in, and a hot and co ld

( 3 )

later system. A l t o g e t h e r , about k*5 m i l l i o n dwe l l ings which

are not un f i t require e i t h e r £125 or more spent on r e p a i r s , or lack

one or more bas i c ameni t i es , or bo th . More d e t a i l s of the survey

results are published i n the Appendix, many of them f o r the f i r s t

time.

), In order to keep t h i s knowledge up to date and to prov ide

local author i t i es wi th a s t a r t i n g point f o r the exe rc i s e of the

improved powers and the deployment of the increased grants ou t l ined

below, the Government propose to lay upon them the duty, when

surveying the cond i t i on of housing in the i r areas , of cons ider ing

not only the need to prov ide new houses, but a lso what needs to be

tone about those which are unsa t i s f ac to ry .

1 1 1 ' The General P o l i c y

0­ The r e su l t s o f the survey demonstrate the need f o r a new deal

for our o lder housing a r eas . Bad housing, d i s r e p a i r , lack of

o a s i c necess i t i e s l i k e hot water and baths, are not l im i t ed to

anyone part of the country, or to the b i g c i t i e s and towns, or t o

nouses of pa r t i cu l a r tenure . True, condi t ions are worse in the / North

(1) Appendix Table 1 .

' 2 ) Appendix Table 12.

Appendix Table 1k.

O N F I D E 242

than e lsewhere: and worse i n p r i v a t e l y l e t houses than in t h

ner-occupied houses or l o c a l au tho r i t y houses. But in a l l par ts

^ the country and in a l l kinds of accommodation there are f a r too

any poople l i v i n g i n had cond i t i ons , and without the comfort and

convenience they ought to have i n the i r homes. The p o l i c y behind

:J

l eg i s la t i ve changes now put forward i s simply that much more

should now he done year by year t o improve and r epa i r houses that

can be improved and to get r i d of the un f i t ones.

v The Government look to l o c a l housing a u t h o r i t i e s to be the

win instruments of t h i s po l i c y in the i r a reas . There w i l l be a

useful ro le f o r housing assoc i a t i ons , which have a lready done very

good work in some areas . Much too w i l l depend on the co-operat ion

of owners and r e s i d e n t s . But the l o c a l au tho r i t i e s must take the

lead and dr ive the p o l i c y forward in each town and d i s t r i c t . They

Bill need be t t e r pov/ers, b e t t e r techniques and b e t t e r f i n a n c i a l

arrangements. But above a l l , each author i t y w i l l need to make

up its mind to secure r e s u l t s : the Government hope that the

proposed l e g i s l a t i o n w i l l be taken as the occasion f o r th i s new

effort to beg in, and not merely as a s e r i e s of t e chn i ca l changes.

a e

8. The d i f f e rences between l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s ' areas are very

great: this means that the powers and methods used must be f l e x i b l e .

It also means that l o c a l author i ty programmes w i l l have to r e f l e c t

their d i f ferent needs, w i th in the ba lance of the t o t a l na t i ona l

programme of expenditure on new and o lde r houses.

5* Academic studies have shown ways o f r e l a t i n g the cost o f

immediate replacement to the cost of improvement wi th de ferred

replacement according to the " l i f e " o f improved proper ty , the

Prevailing in t e res t r a t e s , and other f a c t o r s . P r a c t i c a l s tud ies

flave shown the comparative costs of redeve lop ing and improving

musing areas, and have brought out the d i f f i c u l t y of comparing

enefits as r i go rous l y as cos t s . Studies on these l i n e s need to

c e pursued further to inform the th inking o f both Government and

l ocal author i t ies . But no fur ther study i s needed to prove that

111 lions of f am i l i e s in th i s country are going to be l i v i n g in

^satisfactory houses f o r at l eas t another twenty years unless new

- orts are made. And i t i s a lready c l ea r that the present grant

^ A k l C 8 P % E k i T l A H / l i m i t s

its do not r e f l e c t the maximum which i t may be worth whi l e to

r.d on improvement. In many other cases , improvement at much

ess than maximum cos t w i l l make a g rea t d i f f e r e n c e t o the comfort

.i convenience of the people l i v i n g in the house.

i, In reviewing the p o l i c y and l e g i s l a t i o n over the l a s t three

r

rs the Government have r e c e i v ed the repor t of a sub-committee

f the Central Housing Adv isory Committee, under the chairmanship

fMrs. Evelyn Denington, c a l l e d 11 Cagr^oldeig homes - a c a l l f o r

ea

a c t i o n " This advised on a general approach to slums and

E p r o v e m e n t . The Min is t ry of Housing and Local Government published

'^2SS^t^hJil^I. in September, 1 966. This i s a study of the

r is ib i l i t ies of area improvement in a part o f Rochdale, and since

-hon a p i l o t scheme o f improvement conducted j o i n t l y by the

iinistry and the Rochdale County Borough Council has been going

forward in Deepl ish . The Government have a lso b e n e f i t e d from

Pulham and H a l l i w e l l Reports on the p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r p r i v a t e

enterprise in the comprehensive redevelopment of o l d r e s i d e n t i a l

areas in Pulham and Bo l ton published by the Taylor' Wcodrow Group

sM Hallmark S e c u r i t i e s L imited r e s p e c t i v e l y .

I V . Improvement and Repair

Powers and procedure

I. The Government want l o ca l a u t h o r i t i e s to d i r e c t the i r main

efforts in future to the improvement o f whole areas , not jus t

individual houses - though grants f o r improving i nd i v i dua l houses

Ml be continued and w i l l be used in area improvement. The powers

in Part I I of the Housing Act-1 96I4., do not r e a l l y enable an

authority to improve an area as a whole; and they have been found

cumbersome in p r a c t i c e . The Government propose the re f o r e to r epea l

e m a n d to put in t h e i r p lace a procedure and powers on the

Allowing lines,,

1? T

! i i Local au thor i t i e s should have power to dec lare General

improvement Areas. The aim in these areas would be to he lp and

Persuade owners to improve t h e i r houses, and to he l p them a lso by

proving the environment. A u t h o r i t i e s would be able to buy land

, Jd buildings and carry out work f o r t h i s purpose. They would / a lso

E l

cuss k fi enr-a n A is f

i n have power to "buy houses f o r improvement and conversion and to

... any bouses which were un f i t and which stood i n the way of the

Movement of the whole area .

; The success of area improvement w i l l depend on l o c a l

-gorities securing the co -ope ra t i on of householders in improving

8iP houses w i th grants . In the Government's v iew the vo luntary

rlnciple must be the gu i ld ing one, and although powers of

-pulsory purchase would be a v a i l a b l e f o r improvement they should

ed only i n the l a s t r e s o r t . I t i s e s s e n t i a l that the wishes

-d needs of people in the area should be f u l l y considered, and

It the au tho r i t y ' s plans fo r the area should bo f u l l y exp la ined,

sor this reason, and to avo id de lay , i t i s not proposed that the

declaration of the area and the plans f o r i t should be fo rmal ly

submitted to the Min is ter or Secre tary of S ta te f o r inquiry and

approval. What i s needed at t h i s s tage i s i n f o rma l i t y of approach

and good public r e l a t i o n s and consu l ta t i on ; there must be

flexibility in the a u t h o r i t y ' s p lans . The time f o r appeal and

inquiry would be l a t e r when an i n d i v i d u a l ' s i n t e r e s t s were a f f e c t e d .

And the bet ter the explanation and consul tat ion the l e ss o f ten w i l l

this have to happen.

Ijjj Local au thor i t i e s should be able to he lp owners in many ways

adit is proposed to extend t h e i r powers of doing s o . For

instance, the Government propose to enable them to act as agents

for the owner i n any matter r e l a t i n g to improvement, s ince many

whers may not know how to sot about i t ,

us

o. In suitable cases where an owner needs a loan as we l l as a

grant, but could not a f f o rd to repay the p r i n c i p a l f o r a per iod ,

during his occupancy, the Government propose that the l o c a l

authority should be able to charge i n t e r e s t only, the p r inc i pa l

Cying secured on the property and recovered l a t e r on. Au tho r i t i e s

u a n S 0 I I ietimes help g r e a t l y by p rov id ing temporary rehousing during

Movement, but th i s does not need any new powers.

S£i£onmerrt

'0' Whole areas and s t r e e t s cannot be brought up to proper

^ndards unless something can be done f o r the environment, as

/ opposed

,c0secl to the i n t e r i o r s , o f the houses. A t present such powers

.; exist are not easy to apply, and no grant i s payable f o r the

: , r r o v ement of anything except the houses themselves and f o r t h e i r

inversion in to f l a t s . This creates d i f f i c u l t y f o r the l o c a l

rfuhority in prov id ing c h i l d r e n ' s play spaces, or parking spaces,

- planting t r e e s , or r e g u l a t i n g tho t r a f f i c f o r the good o f the r

-aople who l i v e the r e . These purposes would be included in the

joncept of " improving the a r ea " , and the Government propose to

-reude a coherent set of powers f o r them, inc lud ing powers to

acquire land and b u i l d i n g s . The Government a lso propose an

exchequer grant of 5Cfi on approved expenditure on works and the

purchase of land f o r improving the environment o f an area, the

;:ant-aided expenditure to be l i m i t e d to £100 per house in the area .

foairs

\], The 1967 sample survey showed that there are near ly h i m i l l i o n

sellings in the country (not including those l i k e l y to be i n slum

dearance areas) which need £125 or more spent on r e p a i r . The

Government propose that the powers of au tho r i t i e s t o secure the

repair of houses should be exerc i seab le not on ly as at present where

the house has become u n f i t , but wherever there i s ser ious d i s r e p a i r ,

and that the work r egu i r ed should be what i s reasonable having

I regard to the age, character and l o ca t i on of the house. This

per should be o f use not only in g e t t i n g houses repa i red but in

&surtng that an area which has been brought up to a good s t a t e of

improvement i s not a l lowed to f a l l in to decay again a f terwards ,

^sijig^and, planning

i 8 , T h e s e l e c t i on of improvement areas and the ac t i on taken in

j-em can be important elements in the t o t a l planning of the town.

* n e r e should there fo re be c l ose consul tat ion wi th the l o c a l

wanning authori ty ( i n many cases i t w i l l be the same au tho r i t y )

0- hat housing and planning p o l i c i e s can be i n t e g ra t ed in a t o t a l

* j-cy of urban renewal. But i n using these powers l o c a l housing

-uhorities w i l l take as t h e i r s t a r t i ng po int the housing condi t ions

gr- * ich people are l i v i n g .

/ 19. The

included i n the Town and Country Planning B i l l now be fo re

i P l i a m e n t , w i l l o f ten be r e l e v a n t . I t w i l l be f o r the l o c a l

aiming author i ty to consider in consul ta t ion with the housing

thorlty which, improvement areas should be i d e n t i f i e d as ac t i on

8 a s ; the s i z e and importance of the area, and the amount of change

joposed w i l l be re levant f a c t o r s ,

[rants?

I, With these new or extended powers and more informal and f l e x i b l e

rocodures must go increases in the grant l i m i t s i f house and area

gprdvements are to run at a higher l e v e l .

I, Since 19h-9 l o c a l au tho r i t i e s have been able to pay grants to d: . ' :;f ;

Bdi i se owners w i l l i n g to improve the i r houses to c e r t a i n standards,

aid " S i n c e 1959 they have been bound t o pay grants to house owners

fto claimed them in i n s t a l l i n g the "bas ic amenit ies" in the i r houses.

m first type i s c a l l e d a d i sc re t i onary grant , the second type a

standard grant . Grants are 50% o f the o f the work, of which c o s t

the local author i ty recovers three-quarters from the Exchequer.

For improving counci l houses, l o c a l au tho r i t i e s ge t three -e ighths

itheir costs back from the Exchequer. At present , normal l i m i t s

for discret ionary grants are £kOO, and f o r standard grants £155.

122. The numbers of d i s c r e t i onary and standard grants approved in

England and Wales i n the l as t few years are as f o l l o w s : -

Discre t i onary Standard Tota l

1960 d8,013 82,819 130,832 1961 h7,9h5 79,831 127,776 1962 41,768 68,738 110,506 1963 h2,70l 77,278 119,979 196d h5,050 76,635 121,685 1965 do,100 82,893 122,993 1966 39,960 67,760 107,720 1967 k6,6o6 66,536 113,1h2

-/ft of grants were made to owner-occupiers, 29% t o l o c a l au thor i t i e s

^ 22% to other owners.

,,,, discretionary Grant l i m i t s "

.1 The minimum estimated cost to a t t r a c t grant at a l l w i l l continue

T t e £ 1 0 0 . The normal maximum l e v e l of d i s c r e t i ona ry grant w i l l

raised from £ h , 00 to £ 1 , 0 0 0 . The maximum grant f o r the convers ion

fa house of three or more s t o r e y s , which i s at present £ 5 0 0 f o r

f iat obta ined, w i l l be r a i s ed to £1 , 2 0 0 f o r each f l a t ob ta ined , j c n

n g s c increases r e f l e c t not only increases i n p r i c e s s ince 1 95U but

i Government' s v iew of what i t may in ce r ta in cases be worth whi l e S

-spend on improving or conver t ing a house.

\, The Government a lso propose that i t should in future be made

ossicle to include in grant -a ided improvement some items of

structural r epa i r or replacement.

Saw: Standar d. Grant i: Limi t s

25. The d i sc re t i onary grant , with i t s g r ea t e r f l e x i b i l i t y and i t s

k b cei l ing, w i l l obv ious ly be the p r e f e r r ed instrument f o r use in

General Improvement Areas , but there w i l l s t i l l be many householders

outside these areas , and perhaps a lso w i th in them, who wish, and

have the r i gh t , t o improve t h e i r houses by simply i n s t a l l i n g the

!tasic amenit ies" . Since the present maximum of £155 was

established f o r the standard grant ( 1959 ) , costs in the b u i l d i n g

Industry have r i s e n . The Government now take the v iew that in the

age of the r e f r i g e r a t o r a v e n t i l a t e d food s tore i s no longer a

"basic amenity" which should be i n s i s t e d upon; a s ink, on the other

''au, i s . The Government propose there fo re that the c e i l i n g f o r

toe standard improvement grant should be ra ised to £ 2 0 0 , and that

fee individual grant l i m i t s should be va r i ed as f o l l o w s :

Maximum Grant

Now Proposed

Basic Amenity £ £

Bath * e e * 4 25 3 0

Wash-hand bas in . . . 5 1 0 Hot and co ld water to bath 3 5 k5 Hot and cold water to wash­

hand bas in - 15 2 0 Hot and co ld water to sink 2 5 3 0 W. C . . . . . . 00* *vs a o aPood Store . . ko 5 0

0 0 m a m m 0 9 m 10 Sink . . . ­o v o e o * w

- 15 a m

1 5 5 2 0 0

/ Waiving

of condi t ions

In order to meet the great v a r i e t y of needs with the he lp that

jiost useful i n each case , the Government think that l o c a l

[jithorities should have power t o wa ive some of tho e x i s t i n g condi ­

tjons for grant , i n p a r t i c u l a r cases subject to general d i r e c t i o n s

riven by the Min is ter or Sec re ta ry of S t a t e . These include the

conditions r e l a t i n g to the " l i f e " of houses to be improved; the

standard o f improvement to be a t t a ined ; the requirement that a l l

the missing "bas ic ameni t ies " must be prov ided at once i f a

standard grant i s to be p a i d ; and the requirement that grant

cannot be paid i f the work has been begun b e f o r e the owner's

application f o r grants has been approved.

Time Limit

I], On the other hand a u t h o r i t i e s should have power to impose a

time-limit wi th in which any work approved f o r grant must be done.

Inquisition f o r Conversion or Improvement

3. Housing Assoc i a t i ons , whose r o l e in improvements the Government

hope to see expand, at present enjoy one advantage over l o c a l

authorities i n t h i s f i e l d ; under the Housing Subsidies Act 1 9 6 7

-hey can obtain Exchequer ass i s tance towards the cost o f buying

houses for conversion or improvement as w e l l as f o r doing the work,

fteGovernment propose to make grants f o r a c q u i s i t i o n to l o c a l

authorities a l s o , and at the same time t o increase the cost on which

grant is payable ( c ove r ing both a cqu i s i t i on and work.) from the

Present maximum of £ 2 , 0 0 0 per f l a t obtained to £ 2 , 5 0 0 . This w i l l

*PPly both to au tho r i t i e s and to a ssoc i a t i ons . Taking account of

we more l imi ted l i f e of o lder houses, even when they have been

improved, these new l i m i t s should encourage l o c a l au tho r i t i e s to

undertake th is work whenever i t i s economic to do so, and w i l l

provide them with Government ass is tance b road l y equiva lent in

Present value terms to the subsidy which they r e c e i v e towards

"Hiding new houses.

3' All these prov is ions toge ther are intended to g i v e l o ca l

^hor-ities, working with housing assoc ia t ions and with householders,

o r5 0 P P " t u n i t y to br ing b a s i c a l l y sound o ld houses up to modern

/ standards

tandards, and t o make many run-down neighbourhoods into pleasant

comfortable p laces to l i v e i n .

Landlords improving the i r houses reasonably expect to r e c e i v e

pe increase in r en t . Under present law where the improvement i s

d&d Toy grant, the permiss ib le rent increase is l im i t ed by the

5rd condit ions. Now that there i s a w e l l - e s t a b l i s h e d system

determining f a i r rents f o r r egu la ted tenancies i t seems r i g h t

use this machinery f o r determining new rents o f these tenancies

oil owing grant-a ided improvement.

!, Controlled tenancies r a i s e wider quest ions . The rents

iargeable, even with tho increases permitted a f t e r improvement,

I d not normally prov ide a s u f f i c i e n t return to landlords to oncourag

them to improve t h e i r houses. Indeed, landlords whose rents are

still control led may have l i t t l e Incen t i v e , or may even be unable, i : '

to maintain t h e i r houses as they should. Tho Government have in

[the past been unwi l l ing to pass con t ro l l ed proper ty Into rent

gulation under the Rent Act 1 9 6 5 u n t i l more exper ience has been

ained of rent r e gu l a t i on . They are s t i l l unw i l l ing to a l low th i s

jto happen except where some counte rva i l ing advantage could be

Secured for the tenant . But the achievement and maintenance o f

I proper standard of equipment and r epa i r would be such an

pantage, and the Government accord ing ly propose the f o l l ow ing

pariges in rent law.

C O N F I D E N T S A L

321 Fij^st? where a house l e t on a regulated, tenancy i s improved

,jith a grants , the rent should he determined under Par t I I of the

Bent Act, 1965 and not as at present by condi t ions attached to

the grant.

33. Second, where a house l e t on a c o n t r o l l e d tenancy i s improved

v;ith a grant, the tenancy should become a regu la ted one and the

rent should be determined as above.

%- Thir^d, where a house l e t on a c o n t r o l l e d tenancy i s c e r t i f i e d

by the l o ca l author i ty as-being in the required s t a t e , as

indicated in paragraph 35 , the tenancy should become a regu la ted

one and the rent should be determined as above, even though no

grant has been g iven.

35, In a l l these cases the house would normally need t o have at

least the basic amenit ies - an indoor l a v a t o r y , a f i x e d bath, a

sash basin, a hot and co ld water system and a sink - and to be i n

good repair .

36. Where a regu la ted rent has been increased , or a c o n t r o l l e d

tenancy has passed in to r e gu l a t i on , f o l l ow ing improvement c a r r i ed

out: with grant, i t would c l e a r l y be wrong f o r the f u l l f a i r r en t

to he payable r ight away. The increase i n rent w i l l t h e r e f o r e be

phased over a per iod . There would also be phasing in those cases

o f the th ird type mentioned above where there might otherwise be a

sharp increase in rent as a r e su l t o f the move to r e gu la t i on .

37. Landlords w i l l be able to apply to the rent o f f i c e r f o r

certificates as to the f a i r rent which would be ob ta inab le , once

tne local authori ty had approved the work, although, o f course ,

we new rent would not become payable u n t i l the work had been

completed. The question o f r i gh t of appeal where a c e r t i f i c a t e i s

refused i s being further considered.

""Grant in these paragraphs means d i s c r e t i ona r y grant or standard grant .

)8, At present , l o ca l au tho r i t i e s have c e r t a in powers to step in

and regulate the condi t ions of houses in mul t ip le occupat ion. But

they have to w a i t u n t i l the mul t ip l e occupation i s e s t ab l i shed

before they can do anything. This means that i n p rac t i c e they are

confined to a l l e v i a t i n g the abuses which may a r i s e in these circum­

stances, and. cannot prevent them a r i s i ng . The Government now

propose to make a v a i l a b l e powers to regulate the cond i t ions in

imich multiple occupation may be es tab l ished, or to prevent i t .

faese powers would be given to l o c a l au tho r i t i e s who needed to use

them in the i n t e r e s t s of people l i v i n g in areas of housing s t r e s s .

The powers could be appl ied , by order of the M in i s t e r or Secre tary

of State on a l o c a l au tho r i t y ' s app l i ca t i on , to such areas in

their d i s t r i c t as they consider necessary. Unless the contrary were

approved for a pa r t i cu l a r area, they would only apply where i t was

proposed that a house should be occupied by more than, say, two

families or by more than four i nd i v i dua l l odgers . Where the powers

wre applied, r e g i s t r a t i o n with a l o c a l author i ty would be a p r e ­

requisite of new mul t ip le occupation, and r e g i s t r a t i o n could be

refused by the author i ty i f :

( i ) the house was unsuitable and incapable of being made

su i tab le ;

( i i ) the person having contro l o f the house, or the person

intended to be the person managing the house, was not a

f i t and proper person.

S. The authority would be able to make r e g i s t r a t i o n cond i t i ona l

mi the carrying out of works and on the l e v e l of occupancy. Right

0i appeal to the county court would be g i ven against r e fusa l to

register or against the condit ions attached to r e g i s t r a t i o n .

' * But author i t i es should be ab le , when they use t h e i r c on t r o l

Powers, to g ive help as w e l l , so that a house may be at l e a s t

- a rUy improved even though i t i s s t i l l in mult ip le occupat ion.

njie Government propose the re f o r e that a u t h o r i t i e s should he able to

rive a grant f o r the " b a s i c amenit ies" even though they may not be

for the " exc lus i ve use" of any one f ami l y in the house.

i f , Certain minor aspects o f l o c a l au thor i t y cont ro l over

existing mul t ip le occupation are under rev iew and proposals w i l l

06 included in the l e g i s l a t i o n .

V. Slums

1(2; The c r i t e r i a by which a house i s judged to be f i t or un f i t

ire set out in sec t i on k of the Housing A c t , 1957. The Government

relieve that these c r i t e r i a are in the main s t i l l the r i g h t ones,

cut, as was po inted out i n the Denington Report , an important

contributing f ac to r making f o r an u n f i t house may be that i t has

?, very had in t e rna l l a you t : f o r example, a WdC. opening

iirectly from the l i v i n g room or k i tchen and narrow, steep or

rinding s ta i r cases . The Government propose there fore to add the

internal arrangement of a house to the l i s t of c r i t e r i a ,

djgnjglearance a nd Compensation

lf3. The number of slums dea l t with i n England and Wales i n recent

years has been as f o l l o w s : -

Year T o t a l

1960 56,561 1961 61,969 1962 62,h31 1963 6.,hh5 I96h 61,215 1965 60,666 1966 66,782 1967 71,769

mis is by no means an unsat i s fac to ry record , but i t i s no longer

sood enough. As more and more new houses are b u i l t (and r eco rd

-gures are now being achieved) more un f i t o ld houses ought to be

deared. And the number to be c l eared has been underestimated in

l"e past. The Government intend to continue to g i ve f i r s t

priority in the a l l o c a t i o n of the housing programmes to are&s with

l5?ge numbers of slums.

rpgnsa t i on

The obstac les to f a s t e r slum clearance must there fore he

artified and removed. There i s no doubt tha t , as the Denington

iort not iced, the ob jec t ions l o c a l au tho r i t i e s meet with to

- ir clearance proposals are not r e a l l y so much d i r e c t ed to the e

tandards app l i ed as to the terms of compensation. The bas i s of

Mipensation i s that i f a house i s un f i t f o r human hab i ta t i on i t

mot be assumed to have any va lue . The compensation i s the r e f o r e

;r"site va lue" a lone : that i s , the owner i s pa id no more f o r

Is land than he would be i f there were no house on i t at a l l .

-ef the years c e r t a i n exceptions to th i s p r i n c i p l e have grown up.

aer-occupiers now never r e c e i v e l ess for an un f i t house than the

oss value f o r rat ing purposes. I f a house has been w e l l

iatained in sp i t e of i t s unf i tness , a "we l l -mainta ined" payment

3 made. For owner-occupied houses th i s i s four times the r a t eab l e

due; for others i t i s tw i c e . I f an owner-occupier bought a

rase, which i s now un f i t , between 1939 and 1955 (when very few

-ums were being c l eared ) and has had i t f o r l e s s than f i f t e e n

-jars, he gets the f u l l market value of the house.

% A growing proport ion (now about 20% na t i ona l l y and much

iigher in some areas ) o f owners of houses i n c learance areas are

Wier-occupiers; and they have a spec i a l g r i e vance . Often they

!ought their house when i t was not poss ib le to ge t anything b e t t e r ,

d they have put the i r savings in to i t . In any case, i t i s t h e i r

"*e which is being demolished, and the average d i f f e r ence

tween s i te value and f u l l market value is s i g n i f i c a n t l y g rea te r

v owner-occupied than for tenanted houses.

i

254 s?

---—Average gap "between s i t e value and market va lue

(end 1966)

Tenure i of house i England 7/ales

")

rforth. Yorks 1North-, iWest Greater j South!South ;. p , ­

and IWest Midlands London 9 East Count-Humber-! I Count- i e s s ide j l i e s i

i owner ­ 2k8 180 j. 357 538 1 ,880 I 929 I 8LLJ4, 5k6 occupied

! i i

!' Tenanted 98 ' 80 !39 89 107 j 206 1 20k 11 2

Footnojte^ Based on informat ion suppl ied by the In land Revenue r e l a t i n g to coses repor ted upon by D i s t r i c t Valuers during a pe r i od o f 6 months

116, The Government consider that the s i t e value bas is of

compensation should be r e ta ined as the genera l ru l e . But they

propose that ( a ) add i t i ona l payments should be made to owner­

occupiers of un f i t houses dea l t with under slum c learance powers,

subject to the cond i t ions ind i ca ted below; in the case of un f i t

houses acquired f o r c l earance , t h i s w i l l have the e f f e c t of

bringing the t o t a l payments up to f u l l market va lue , (To) un f i t

tenanted houses should qua l i f y f o r l a r g e r payments i f they have

been well-maintained. I t i s proposed that these changes should

refer back to the date o f th i s White Paper, and they are the re f o re

set out in d e t a i l in the f o l l ow ing paragraphs.

hi. Owner-occupiers of houses which are u n f i t f o r human hab i ta t i on

ana are purchased compulsor i ly , or are subjected to one of the

procedures set out in paragraph k( i ) of the Second Schedule to the

Sousing Act , 1957 (demo l i t i on , c los ing o r c learance orders ) or

a r e subjected to an unf i tness order under paragraph 1(2 ) of the

second Schedule to the Land Compensation Act , 19,61, are In c e r t a i n

-ircumstances e n t i t l e d to an add i t i ona l payment, or supplement,

rais supplement r e f l e c t s the amount, i f any, by which market va lue

exceeds s i t e va lue , but i s payable only where a house was

cvner-occupied on 1 3th December, ! 955j and at the time of the

compulsory purchase or--other order i s s t i l l owned by the same

oerson, or a member of h i s f ami l y , who has not had 15 years '

enjoyment of the proper ty .

h8. The Government propose that th i s supplement should now

become payable to a l l owners of houses which are owner­

occupied i n accordance w i th the terms of paragraph US be low,

in cases where the appropr iate a c t i on i s taken a t any time

after the date of th i s White Paper. The ' appropr iate a c t i on '

here means the commencement of the ' r e l e van t proceed ings '

leading to the purchase or vaca t ion of the house, as de f ined

in paragraph k ( 6 ) of the Second Schedule to the Housing A c t ,

1957. Ror unf i tness orders the "appropr ia t e ac t ion" would be

the making of the order.

0-3. An owner-occupied house means in the f i r s t p lace any

house which has been occupied by i t s owner or a member o f h i s

family continuously since the date of this White Paper.

Where i t i s acquired f o r occupation a f t e r that date , the

house must have been owner-occupied f o r 2 years be fore the

"appropriate ac t i on" as de f ined in paragraph U3. (This i s to

avoid last minute sa les which might be arranged simply to

qualify f o r the supplement).

50. The Government propose that a person whose house i s

acquired or vacated be fo re these prov is ions become law, but as

a nes i t of "appropr ia te a c t i on " taken a f t e r the date o f t h i s

Ihite Paper, should be able to claim l a t e r an add i t i ona l

/payment

E A

payment to which he might become e n t i t l e d by the l e g i s l a t i o n

insofar as he has not already r e c e i v ed i t ( f o r ins tance , on a

sale by agreement) .

H, "Wel l -maintained" payments w i l l not be pa id where a house

qualifies for the new supplement. But the Government propose

that the "we l l -mainta ined" payment f o r tenanted houses should

be increased from tw i c e , to four t imes, the ra t eab l e va lue

of the house. The same ra t e w i l l apply to owner-occupied

houses not qua l i f y i ng for the supplement under paragraph h-8

above. These "we l l -ma in ta ined " payments w i l l continue to be

limited to the amount, i f any, r equ i r ed to br ing the s i t e

value up to the f u l l market value of the house. The appor t ion­

meht of these payments between landlord, and tenant w i l l continue

to he a matter f o r the l o c a l author i t y .

V I . Conclusions

52. I t i s the main purpose of th is White Paper to e xp l a in

the proposals for l e g i s l a t i o n . The Min is ter and the Secre tary

of State w i l l i n due course publ ish a manual of adv ice f o r

local author i t i es on how to handle the new General Improvement

Area as an instrument of housing p o l i c y . But c e r t a in genera l

remarks may s t i l l be in p l a ce .

53. No l o c a l author i t y can do everything on i t s own, but the

Government envisage that the improvement of the o lder housing

areas in our towns and c i t i e s should be ca r r i ed out under the

leadership of l o c a l authorit ies^, and f o l l ow ing general s t r a t e g i e s

which each l o c a l author i ty w i l l decide f o r i t s own area.

5m-. Within that general s t ra tegy there w i l l be a g rea t par t to

ce played by housing assoc i a t i ons , and a t every stage the

voluntary co-operat ion of householders w i l l prove , as i t has

already proved under the ex i s t ing system, to be the f i r s t

condition of p rogress . Local au tho r i t i e s must be t i r e l e s s in

^Plaining the i r proposa ls , and in ga in ing the conf idence and

approval of those whom they w i l l a f f e c t . Areas w i l l be able to

/be

be designated without re f e rence to W h i t e h a l l , and without

appeal or hear ing. The time for appeal or hear ing w i l l be

if, and only i f , i t becomes necessary to propose the compulsory

purchase of any house or land, and a t that stage the customary

statutory safeguards of the appeal system w i l l come in to p lay ,

gut the b e t t e r the l o c a l explanat ion and co -opera t i on i s , the

less f requent ly w i l l compulsory purchase be necessary.

55. The keynote of the proposals i s that the l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s

should p o s i t i v e l y concern themselves w i th the cond i t i on of the

unsatisfactory p r i v a t e houses in t h e i r towns. The l e g i s l a t i v e

and other changes now proposed, whi l e reserv ing compulsory

acquisition as an u l t imate sanct ion, w i l l g r e a t l y strengthen

and widen the a u t h o r i t i e s ' powers to improve the l i v i n g

conditions of t h e i r people .

56. The proposals of t h i s paper p lace g r ea t emphasis on

f l e x i b i l i t y : f l e x i b i l i t y in cond i t i ons , i n grant maxima, in

ministerial c o n t r o l . And th i s i s r i g h t , s ince l o c a l

circumstances w i l l vary v e ry w ide l y . Some a u t h o r i t i e s w i l l

need to continue to devote most of the i r energ ies to c learance

areas. Others, where there are no t so many slums, or not such

a shortage of housing, or a higher propor t ion of sound o ld

houses, w i l l wish to put much g r ea t e r emphasis on General

Improvement Areas.

57. These proposals w i l l br ing both problems and oppor tun i t i es

to the bui lding industry , not excluding the smaller bu i l d e r s .

The re la t ions between the l o c a l author i ty and the l o c a l

builders, and a good organ isa t i on to make the most product ive

use of their se rv i ces and of l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s ' d i r e c t labour

departments i n th is work, w i l l g r e a t l y a f f e c t the success of

improvement i n any area. The Government are further studying

this aspect of the subject and w i l l consul t the industry about

58. And f i n a l l y , the Government hope that the pub l i ca t i on of

this White Paper, and the passage of the l e g i s l a t i o n i t

proposes, w i l l be the occasion f o r a great new d r i v e , grouping

I all the e x i s t i ng powers and using to the f u l l the new powers

aid the higher grants proposed, f o r the improvement of those

millions of o lder houses, and those hundreds of thousands of

older s t r e e t s which, though they are neg lec ted a t the moment,

can be made i n t o decent, p leasant and comfortable p laces to

live in.

V I I Summary of Proposals

Local au tho r i t i e s t o have the duty, when surveying the cond i t i on

iouses in t h e i r areas , of consider ing not only the need t o

RIDE new houses, but a lso the need to deal wi th unsa t i s f ac to ry

js (paragraph 5) .

Ira prove me nt area prov is ions of the Housing Act 1964 t o be

laled (paragraph 11 ) .

Local au thor i t i e s t o be empowered t o d e c l a r e General Improvement

3 , without M i n i s t e r i a l approval ; t o ass i s t householders in these

;ps in improving t h e i r houses; and to acquire land and bu i ld ings

them for improvement of the environment, improvement of houses,

clearance (paragraphs 12 and 1 3 ) .

Local au thor i t i e s t o be able t o act as owners' agents in

movement matters (paragraph 1 4 ) .

"Interest only" payments on loans fo r the owner' s share of

rovement and r e p a i r costs t o bo al lowed in appropr iate cases ,

principal being recovered l a t e r (paragraph 1 5 ) .

Exchequer grant of 50$ f o r environmental improvement, on costs

:up to £100 per dwe l l ing , in General Improvement Areas (paragraph

', Local a u t h o r i t i e s 1 power t o compel owners t o r epa i r houses t o

'Aextended (paragraph 17) .

Normal maximum d i sc re t i onary grant t o be r a i s e d from £400 t o

il,000 (paragraph 23 ) .

I. Normal maximum conversion grant t o be r a s i e d from £500 per

wiling to £1,200 (paragraph 2 3 ) .

"10. Certain repa i rs and replacements t o be e l i g i b l e f o r improvement

iiant (paragraph. 2 4 ) .

Normal t o t a l standard improvement grant t o be r a i s ed from

?155 to £200 (paragraph 2 5 ) .

Ventilated food s tore to be removed from standard improvement

r5mfc "basic ameni t i es " , and sink added (paragraph 25 ) .

13­ For standard g rant , bas ic amenities need not a l l be prov ided at

w same time (paragraph 2 6 ) . / l 4 .

I Grant may be paid on improvement of houses which w i l l not

l^ssarily l as t f i f t e e n years longer (paragraph 2 6 ) .

I-.;, Improvement grants may be paid even i f the work has begun before

bowner appl ies (paragraph 2 6 ) .

I Local au tho r i t i e s t o be able t o impose a time l i m i t w i th in

jich the work must be done (paragraph 27 ) .

:;, Assistance towards purchase of houses fo r improvement and

^version t o be payable to l o c a l au thor i t i e s as w e l l as housing

relations (paragraph 28) .

;J, Normal maximum cost of a c q u i s i t i o n and conversion or improvement

eligible for ass istance t o be £2,500 per dwel l ing obtained,

paragraph 28 ) .

15, Rents of tenanted houses which reach a required s t a t e , t o be

semined under the Rent Act 1965 (paragraphs 32, 33 and 3h) .

Local au thor i t i e s t o have power in c e r t a in areas t o regulate

:?prevent proposed mult ip le occupation of houses (paragraph 3 8 ) .

ii, Basic amenities may a t t rac t grant even i f not f o r the

£elusive use of one family (paragraph hO).

II Minor improvements t o l o c a l -author i t ies ' powers to regu la te

listing multiple occupation (paragraph h i ) .

m. Internal arrangement of a house t o be included in the c r i t e r i a

[ - fitness (paragraph k2).

ft. Supplementary payments f o r owner-occupied houses subject t o

:^ure slum clearance (paragraphs h6 t o 51 ) .

Tenanted unf i t houses t o a t t r a c t payments of four t imes

rateable value i f house has been wel l -mainta ined (paragraphs h6

and 51),

APPENDIX

MTIOKAL SIMPLE SURVEY OF THE CONDITION OF HOUSES

1, This survey of the condition of the housing stock was carried out hy a

physical inspection of a representative sample of dwellings by experienced public

health inspectors working to a common brief.

2. The sample was designed to give a broad national picture. It was not large

enough to give a local or regional picture. It is possible, however, to provide

a picture for three broad divisions of the country - the Forthf Wales, Midlands

and the South-West^ the South-East.

3. The survey was directed to establish facts abouts­

(i) fitness and unfitness (according to the criteria of unfitness in

Section 4 of the Housing Act, 1957)s

(ii) the provision of basic amenities5 viz. internal W.C.$ fixed

baths hot and cold water system 5 wash basin. Information was

not sought about ventilated food stores 5

(iii) state of repairs estimates were made of the amounts required

to he spent to put dwellings into a satisfactory state of repair

( excluding internal decoration) where this came to £125 o p more.

The survey provided for a sub-division of most of these items by reference to

age, type of area (conurbations, other urban areas and rural districts), and

tenure.

4. The results a r e in Tables 1 to 14, v i z . s-

Tables 1 - 4s Fitness and Unfitness

Tables 5 - 8s Lack of amenities

Tables 9 -13s Disrepair (as measured by estimated

cost of repairs needed)

Table 14: Disrepair of fit/unfit dwellings having/not

h a T i n g all basic amenities.

Table 1 Thousands of dwellingss percentages

Unfit dwellings Dwellings not unfit In or adjoining potential clear-In potential All ance areas ­clearance Others All unfit All dwellings dwellings Pt.III Hsg.Act Region areas dwe llings Others not unfit 1957 (to secure satisfactory

(Pt.HI Hsg-Act (Pt.II Hsg.Act areas for 1957) 1957) redevelopment )

aP $ Jo $ %

Northern, Yorkshire and Huinberside and North West 578 52.6 184- 25.0 762 41.5 05) 51 45-1 4,218 30c 7 4,269 30.8(85) 5,031 32,0 (100)

South East 139 12.6 199 27,0 338 18.4 (5) 21 18.6 4,956 36.0 4,977 35-9(94) 5,315 33c9 (100)

Rest of England and Wales(A) 382 34-8 354 48.0 736 40=1 (14) 41 36.3 4,577 33.3 4,618 33.3 (86) 5,354 34d (100)

England and Wales 1,099 100,0 737 100.0 1,836 !ioo,o (12) r.1'3 100.0 13,751 100,0 13,864 100.0 (88) 15,700 100.0

NOTEs Figures in brackets show the numbers as a percentage of the stock in each region.

(A) = East Midlands, West Midlands, South West, East Anglia and Wales,

NO

NO

S " f c o o l c or-f d w e l l i n g s s " b y t y ^ e o f a r e a

E s t i m a t e d n u m b e r F e b r u a r y

E N G L A N D a n d W A L E S

sii-icL

1 9 ^ 7

c o n d i - t i o n

Unfit dwellings

Thousands of dwellings: percentages

Dwellings not unfit In or adjoining potential clear-In potential All ance areas -Area clearance Others All unfit All dwellings dwellings Pi.Ill HsgVAct areas dwellings Others not unfit 1957 (to secure satisfactory

(Pt.HI Hsg.Act (Pt.II Hsg.Act areas for 1957) 1957) redevelopment)

7o % %

Conurbations 454 4 1 . 3 1 4 6 19.8 600 32.7 (11) 6 2 54*9 4,655 33.9 4,717 34=0 (89) 5 , 3 1 7 33.9 (100)

Other urban areas 523 47.6 283 38.4 806 43.9 (11) 4 8 4 2 . 5 6,302 45.8 6,350 45.8 (89) 7 , 1 5 6 45.6 (100)

Rural areas 122 1 1 . 1 3 0 8 41.8 430 23 = 4 (13) 3 2.6 2,794 20.3 2,797 20.2 (87) 3,227 20.5 (100)

England and Wales 1,099 100.0 7 3 7 100.0 15836 100 = 0 (12) 1 1 3 100.0 13,751 100.0 13,864 100.0 (88) 15,700 100.0

NOTE; Figures in brackets show the numbers as a percentage of the stock in each type of area.

h O ON

Thousands of dwellings? percentages

Unfit dwellings Dwellings not unfit

In or adjoining potential clear- All Tenure In potential ance areas ­clearance Others All unfit All dwellings dwellings Pt.III Hsg.Act areas dwellings Others not unfit

1957 (to secure satisfactory (Pt.lll HsgoAct (Pt.II Ksg.Act areas for

1957) 1957) jredeyelopment) oL p ? i

Owner occupied 273 24.8 283 38.4 556 30.3 (7) i 41.6 7,360 53^6 7,415 53.5 (93) 6,971 50.8 (100)

Rented from local authorities or new town corporations 49 4.5 23 3.1 72 3.9 (2) 18 15=9 30.2 4,158 30.1 (98) 4,248 27.1 (100)

64.1 413 1.118 60.9 (33) 48 42.5 2,202 16.0 2,250 16.2 (67) 3,368 21.4 100) Other tenures 705 56.O

Closed (A) 72 6.6 18 2.5 90 4=9 (80)i 23 0.2 23 0.2 (20) 113 0.7 (100)

1,099 !100.0 100c0 1 100.0 (12)! 113 100.0 13,751 ! 13,864 100.0 (88) 15,700 100.0 Total stock 737

NOTEs Figures in "brackets show the numbers as a percentage of stock in each tenure category.

(A) Closed as unfit under Housing Act powers or preparatory to redevelopment under other statutory powers.

Esiiirna-ted. number' February 1 96 England and Wales

v ' : :u :-;f m - w - - v - ^ m M M W ... , m- - ' - ^ Zl^]J^ilS^S--^L^S£i^S££iJ percentages

Unfit dwellin gs Dwellings not unfit

In or adjoining potential All In potential clearance dwellings clearance Others All unfit areas - Ft. All dwellings ii e of dwelling areas Others dwellings Ill Hsg Act not unfit

1957 - (to secure satisfactory

(Pt. Ill Hsg. (Ft. II Hsg. areas of re-Act 1957) Act 1957) development

% % % % % % Pre 1919 1 ,091 99.3 693 94.0 1,784 97.2 (30) 110 97.3 4,135 30.1 4,245 30.6 ( ?0) 6,029 38.4 (100)

1919 ­ 1944 5 0.4 44 6.0 49 2.7 ( 1) 3 2.7 4,203 30.6 4,206 30.3 ( 99) 4,255 27.1 (100)

Post 1944 3 0.3 - 3 0.1 ( 0) - - 5,413 39.3 5,413 39.1 (100), 5,416 34.5 (100)

Total stock 1,099 100.0 737 100.0 1,836 100.0 (12) 113 100.0 13,751 100.0 13,864 100.0 ( 88) 15,700 100.0 — -

NOTE: Figures in brackets show the numbers as a percentage of stock in each age category.

Thousands of dwellings: percentages

Amenities lacked Northern Yorkshii

and Humberside and North West

e South East Rest of England

and Wales (A) England and Wales

% %

Internal Water closet

Fixed "bath

1,255

854

43.0 (25)

40.6 (17)

586

481

20.1

22.8

( 1 1 )

(9 )

1 ,078

771

36.9 (20)

36.6 (14)

2,919

2,106

100.0

100.0

( 1 9 )

(13)

Wash basin 1 ,101 36.2 (22) 853 28.1 (16) 1 ,086 35-7 (20) 3.040 100.0 (19)

Hot and cold water at 3 points

One or more of the anenities

1,083

1,402

31.9 (22)

35.5 (28)

1 5044

1 ,126

30-7 (20)

28.6 (21)

1 ,273

1.415

37-4 (24)

35-9 (26)

3,400

3,943

100.0

100.0

(22)

(25)

Total stock . 5 * 0 3 1 32.0 . 5,315 3 3 . 9 5,354 34.1 15,700 100.0

NOTEs Figures in brackets show, the numbers %*$t5yjycb ihcrdasted amenities as a percentage of'the stock In each region; (A^ East Midlands, West Midlands, South West, East Anglia and Wales

CONFIDENTIAL O N

E s t i m a t e d n u m b e r l ^ e b r r u e x r v y

England and Y/ales

Thousands of dwellings: peroentag

Amenities lacked Conurbation Other urban areas Rural districts jEngland and Wales

Internal water closet 957 32.8 (18) 1,419 48.6 (20) 543 18.6 (17) 2,919 100.0 (19)

Fixed bath 727 34=5 (14) 961 ^5-6 (13) 418 19-9 (13) 2,106 100.0 (13)

Wash basin 1,119 36.8 (21) 1,385 45-6 (19) 536 17.6 (16) 3,040 100.0 (19)

Hot and cold water at 3 points 1,209 35.6 (23) 1,618 47.6 (23) 573 16.8 (18) 3,400 100.0 (22)

One or more of the amenities 1 ,360 34.5 (26) 1,914 48,5 (27) 669 17.0 (21) 3,943 100.0 (25)

Total stock 5,317 33.9 . 7,156 45.6 3,227 20.5 .15,700 100.0

NOTE: Figures in brackets show the numbers without the listed amenities as a percentage of the stock in each type of area.

vi ; o c l c o r cL - : i n £ S E z toy l a c l c O x ' b a n i c a m e n i t i e s o - r i c L t e n u r

E s t i m a t e d n u m b e r - F e b r u a r y 1 9 6 7

E n g l a n d a n d T / a l e s

T a b l e 7 T h o u s a n d s o f d w e l l i n g s : p e r c e n t a g e s

Rented from local ( a ) A l l 3 1Amenities lacked Owner occupied authorities or new Other tenures Closed^ , .

town corporations : dwellings 1

1j % 1Internal water closet 952 32.6 (12) 1 363 12.4 (9) 1,522 52.2 (46) 82 2.8 (73) 2,919

Fixed bath 565 2 6 . S (7 ) ji

93 4.4 (2 )

1

1,311 65.I (39) 77 3.7 (68) 2,106

Wash basin 849 27.9 (11) 1 479 15.8 (11) 1,632 53.7 (49) 80 2.6 (71) 3,040 100.0 (19)

Hot and cold we tar at 3 points 1,018 30.0 (13) i 521 15.3 (12) 1,779 52.3 (53) 82 2.4 (73) 3,400

iOne or more of the amenities 1,288 32.7 (16) 1 675 17.1 (16) 1,895 48.1 (57) 85 2.1 (76) 3,943 1

NOTE: Figures in brackets show the numbers without l i s t ed amenities .a percentage of the stock in each tenure category.

(A) Closed as unfit under Housing Act powers or preparatory to redevelopment under other statutory powers.

Table 8 Thousands of dwellii Unfit dwellings Dwellings not unfit

Amenities lacked

In potential clearance areas

(Pt.III Hsg. Act 1957)

Others

(Pt.II Hsg. Act 1957)

All unfit dwellings

In cr adjoining potential clearance areas-Pt.Ill Hsg. Act 1957 ­ (to

secure satisfactory areas of

redevelopment)

Others All dwellings not unfit

All dwellings

/o $ % fo % % % Internal water closet 962 87.5 450 61.1 1,412 76.9 65 57.5 1,442 10.5 1,507 10.9 2,919 18.6-

Fixed bath 923 84.G 401 54.4 1,324 72.1 51 45.1 731 5.3 782 5.6 2,106 13.4

Wash basin 965 87.8 485 65.8 1,450 79.0 72 63.7 1,518 11.0 1,590 11.5 3,040 19.4

Hct and ccld water at 3 points

991 90.2 526 71.4 1,517 82.6 72 63.7 1,811 13.2 1,883 13.6 3,400 21.7

r O O n

C O N F I D j n N T I A L

Stock of dwellings: by region and repair costs

Estimated number February I967

England and Wales Table 9 Thousands of dwellings: percentages Region Under £125 £125-£249 3?5G-£499 £500-£999 £1,000 and overj All repair costs

Northern,Yorkshire and Humberside and North West 2,984

%

29c5 (59) 927

/o

36.8 (18) 543 40.9 (11) 346 35,7 (7 ) 231 30.8 (5 ) 5,031 32.0 (100)

South East

Rest of England and Wales (A)

3,966

5,182

39.1

31.4

(75)

(59)

655

939

26,0

37.2

(12)

(18)

307

478

23.1

36,0

(6 )

(9 )

200

423

20.6

43.7

(4)

(8 )

187

332

24.5 (3 )

44.3 (6 )

5,315

5,354

33.9

34.1

(100)

(100)

England and Wales ... .

10,152 100.0 (65) 2,521 100.0 (16) 1 , 3 2 8 100,0 ( 8 ) ! 9 6 9 I 100.0 ( 6 ) 1 750 b o . 0 ( 5 ) 15.700 100.0

NOTE: Figures in brackets show the numbers as a percentage of the stock in each region, (A) East Midlands, West Midlands, South West, East Anglia and Wales

hO

O

S t o c k o f d w e l l i n g s : b y t y p e o f a r e a a n d r e p a i r c o s t s

E s t i m a t e d n u m b e r F e b r u a r y 1967

E n g l a n d a n d W a l e s

JTa61 e j \ Q Thousands of d?;e!

U n d e r £125 £125-249 £250-£499 £500­c: 999 £1 ,000 a n d o v e r A l l r e p a i r c o s t s

T y p e o f a r e a

& % /­ %

C o n u r b a t i o n s 3,465 34.2 (65) I (16) 454 34.2 (9) 317 32.-, (6) 215 28.7 (4) 5,317 32.5(1C0)

O t h e r u r b a n a r e a s 4,613 45.5 (64) I !: 1 (16) 623 46.9 (9) 479 49.4 (7) 278 37.1 (4) 7,156 45.6 (100)

R u r a l D i s t r i c t s 2,054 20.3 (64) ! (15) 251 18.9(8) 173 17.9(5) 257 34.2(8) 3,227 20.5 (100)

England and Wales 10,132 100.0 (65) ! 2,521 I16 ) 1,328 100.C (8) 969 100.0(6) 750 100.0(5) 15,700 100.0

N O T E : F i g u r e s i n b r a c k e t s s h o w t h e n u m b e r s a s a p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e s t o c k i n e a c h t y p e o f a r e a

N3 -S3

S"tock of cLweZLZLirigs : TDy tenure a-racL repair cos"fcs

Estimated number February 1967

England and Wales

Table 1 1 ThousandsjQJljij /J:iLSgJLL. percentages Tenure Under £125 £125-£2A9 £250-£499 £500-£999 £1,000 and over All repair costs

% 4,

Owner occupied 5,572 55-0 (70) 1,219 48.4 (15) 656 49-4 (8) 316 32.6 (4) 208 27.7 (3) 7,971 50.8 (100)

Rented from local authorities or new town corporations 3,526 34.8 (83) 548 21.7 (13) 95 7.2 (2) 52 5.4 (1) 27 3=6 (1) 4,248 27.1 (100)

Other tenures 1 ,022 10.-1 ( 3 0 ) 742 2 9 . 4 ( 2 2 ) 574 4 3 . 2 ( 1 7 ) 573 59.6 (17) 452 60.3 (14) 3,368 21.4 (100)

Closed (A) 12 0.1 (11) 12 0.5 (11) 3 0.2 (3) 23 2.4- (20) 63 8.4 (55) 113 e.7 (100)

Tctal stock 10,132 100.0 (65) 2,521 100.0 (15) 1,328 100.0 (8) 969

100.0 (6) 750 100.0 (5) 15,700 100.0

NOTE: Figures in brackets show the numbers as a percentage of the stock in each type of tenure.

(A) = Closed as unfit under Housing Act powers or preparatory to redevelopment under other statutory powers.

J N3

1C*3 T;A.MRT T ;ECL N U R R I T , O X * 1 9 6 7

England and Wales Table 12 Thousands of dwellings: percentages

i

Unfit dwellings Dwellings not unfit

In or

Repair Costs

In potential clearance areas

(Pt. Ill Ksg. Act 1957)

Others

(Pt. II Hs£ Act 1957)

All unfit dwellings

adjoining potential clearance

areas - Pt, III Ksg Act

1957 - (to secure satisfactory areas of re­development)

Others All dwellings not unfit

All dwellings

a A

Under £125 0.5 15 2.0 20 1.1 18 15.9 10,094 73.4 10,112 73.0 10,132 64.5

£12;? 5 ­ £249 £250 ­ £499 £500 ­ £999 £1000 and over

44 252 380 418

4.0 22.9 34,6 38.0

92 162 210 258

12.5 22,0 28.5 35.0

136 414 590 676

7.4 22.6 32.1 36.8

33 22 29 11

29.2 19o5 25.7 9.7

2,352 892 350

63

17.1 6.5 2.5 0.5

2,385 914 379 74

17.2 6.6 2.7 0.5

2,521 1,328

969 750

16.1 8.4 6.2 4.8

All £125 and over 1,094 99.5 722 98,0 1,816 95 84.1 3,657 26.6 3,752 27.0 5,568 35.5

All repair costs 1,099 100.0 1737 100.0 1,836 100.0 113 100.0 113,751 100.0 13,864 100.0 15,700 100.0

29.3.15/68/100 O n !

o o J c o £ * d w E L L : L A Y 0 . ^ 5 0 A N D , R O P A L X - CSCI L-/T ;

Estimated number February

England and Wales

Thousands of dwellings2 percentages T a b l e 13

Age of dwelling Under £125 i £12 5-£249 £250-£ 499 £500- ?99 £1. ,000 arid over All repair costs

! * f / ;

; j i j! I

I

iPre 1919 17.6 (30) 1,416 j 5 6 . 2 ( 2 3 ) 1 ,154 ! 86.9 (19) 932 96.2 (16)1 743 99-1 (12) 6,029 38-4 (100)

I 1,784 i

1S19 - 1944 I 3 , 1 4 1 31 -0 (73) j 917 j 36-4 (22) 161 j 12.1 (4) 29 3.0 7 0.9 (0) 4,255 27.1 (100)

Pest 1944 j 5,207 51 .4 (96) J 188 I 7 4 (4) 13 1 . 0 ( 0 ) 8 0.8 (o)l - (-) 5,416 34-5 (100) ! — I 14­

j j ; 1 '

Total stock I 1 0 , 1 3 2 100.0 (65) [2,52.1 I 100.0 (16) 1,328 i100.0 (8) 969 100.0 ( 6 ) ! 750 100.0 (5) 15*700 100.0 II

NGTEs Figures in brackets show the numbers as a percentage of the stock in each age group

r O

E S T I M A T E D NUMBER F E B R U A R Y 1 9 6 7

England and Wales

Table 13

Age of dwelling Under £125 j £125-£249 £250-£499 £500-£999

Thousands of dwellingss percentages j£1.,000 and over All repair costs

p 1-

Pre 1919

1S19 ­ 1944

Pest 1944

I

!

i

1,784

3,141

5*207

17.6 (30) 11,416 ; 56.2 (23)

31 -0 (73) j 917 I 36.4 (22)

51 .4 (96)1 188 I 7.4 (4)

1,154

161

13

86.9 (19)

12.1 '. (4)

- 1.0 (0)

932

29

8

96.2

3-0

0.8

(16)

(1)

(0)

743

w 99-1 (12)

0.9 (0)

- (")

6,029

4,255

5,416

38.4 (100)

27.1 (100)

34.5 (100)

I j 1

Tctal stock i 10,132 100.0 (65) 2,521 ; 100.0 (16) 1,328 100.0 (8) 969 100.0 (6) 750 100.0 (5) 15,700 100.0

NCTEs Figures in brackets show the numbers as a percentage of the stock in each ago group

NO

M o r e " t h a n m i n o r e x p e n d i t u r e o n r e p a i r s

Repair" costs [- - All repairunder £125 5 ,. Repair costs costs2125-.£249 ) £250-£499 l£500-,S999 i £1000 and over of .£125 or more -4­i

Outside jjoj entiuil clearance areas

Dwellings with all amenities: (A)Not Unfit 9,235 1,551 495 161 30 2,237 11,472

Unfit 26 45 ! 51 176 176 i 54

" " " "1" RTotals 9,235 1,577 540 1 215 81 2,413 11,648 J

Dwellings lacking amenities: 859 397 189 n933 1,420 2,27?

riot Unfit J 15 66 117 156 207 546 56l

Unfit I ^

ij

Totals j 874 867 514 345 240 1,966 2,840

In or adjoining potential clearance areas jj

Not Unfit 18 33 22 29 11 95 113 ^ Unfit I 5 44 252 580 418 1,094 1,099I

..L Totals 23 77 274 409 429 1,189 1,212

4 — -H - -All dwellings 10,132 2,521 1,328 969 750 5,568 15,700

( a ) = The number of dwellings outside potential clearance areas which are not unfit -requiring repairs costing £125 or more, or lacking amenities, or both is given by the sum of these figures, v iz : 4,516,000

" I A I

1.4.29/68/

ANNEX

FINANCIAL., AND MANPOWER IMPLICA^IO,NS

1. The Draf t White Paper dea ls with a s h i f t of emphasis from

new housebuilding to improvement of our housing s tock.

Accordingly, the aim has been to achieve so f a r as i s poss ib l e

a neutral net e f f e c t in terms of both cost and manpower.

2, On cost , the Chancellor of the Exchequer has accepted f o r

the purposes of compil ing the f i g u r e s f o r the Publ ic Expenditure

Survey proposals which I have made f o r investment in bo th new

and old houses. On th i s bas is there would be only a very small

rise in the t o t a l housing investment expenditure between 1968-9

and 1972-3 , and, indeed, that there would be a s l i g h t f a l l in

each of the in te rven ing yea rs . Within th i s t o t a l there would

"be no ex t ra cost in respect of slum c learance or improvement

before 1 9 7 0 - 1 , when i t might amount to £8.3m. growing to

£37.2m. in 1972-3*

3. On manpower, a gradual r e - a l l o c a t i o n of resources w i th in

the bu i ld ing industry can be expected; but t h i s would be

marginal and should cause no undue s t r a i n . Departments

concerned are consider ing how the t r a n s i t i o n could be most

smoothly carried, through and, as the Draft White Paper s t a t e s

(paragraph 5 7 ) , the industry w i l l be consulted. Within the

public s e r v i c e , the s i g n i f i c a n t impact w i l l be upon l o c a l

author i t ies . However, many of the proposals w i l l lead t o a

more e f f i c i e n t use of manpower a l ready engaged upon problems of

older houses. There w i l l be f a r l e s s involvement with

bureaucratic d e t a i l . But, above a l l , p r i o r i t i e s w i l l be

determined l o c a l l y in the l i g h t of a l l the f a c t o r s : the

confidential adv ice from assoc ia t i ons of l o c a l au tho r i t i e s

indicates that counci ls should be ab le to cope without adding

s igni f i cant ly t o t h e i r complements. There w i l l however be an

increased c a l l on the s e r v i c es of publ ic hea l th inspec to r s ;

recruitment prospects have been more encouraging r e c en t l y . The

extra number required w i l l depend on the ra t e of bui ld-up of the

new work and i s d i f f i c u l t t o quant i fy u n t i l the new methods have

oeen given an extended t r i a l . Over the next few years the

increase w i l l be marginal .