Elderly offered £3k to move

Pensioners living alone in council houses are to be offered up to £3,000 to move to smaller properties in a bid to cut housing waiting lists in Wolverhampton, it was revealed today.

Taxpayers will have to fund the payouts for council tenants as bosses try to cut the city's 13,000-strong waiting list for a property.

The scheme aims to free up larger three and four-bedroom homes where only one or two people now live.

It comes after Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to end life-time tenancies on council homes with a move towards five or 10-year contracts.

Out of 23,500 council properties in the city one in 10 is believed to be under-occupied.

But it was today revealed that the organisation in charge of running them will offer cash and other incentives to people if they move.

Wolverhampton Homes will offer pensioners and single people the one-off cash payment of £3,000, or packing and removal services, decoration of the new home, a modern kitchen or bathroom, new carpets, electrical goods, disconnection and reconnection of appliances, contents insurance, garden scheme membership, a community alarm or a security alarm up to a total of £3,000.

Pauline Evans, head of lettings in Wolverhampton, said: "Good landlords must make the best use of the homes they manage when there are so many people who need housing.

"We particularly need homes for families. However, understandably most people are reluctant to leave a family home even when their own family has grown up and moved away so we are offering help with moving as an encouragement.

Dudley Council today revealed it is also considering offering cash payments but will first decide if it is "financially viable".