ABSTRACT
The elements of the Generalised Needs Index/Housing Needs Index should be expanded to include suitability data, to effect a redirection of resources towards helping areas where the majority of the housing need is located. A greater weighting to the private sector stock should be included. The allocation of expenditure to national budgets is done as a separate process by the Treasury. The revised measures would be used for two general purposes. They would be key elements in: deciding the allocation of new social housing to local authorities and allocating housing public expenditure generally. The private sector of course, represents a large majority of the total housing stock, but grants to the private sector represent only a small part of the total of grant/permission to borrow. The resultant Local Needs Index measure gives a reasonable balance to factors which relate directly to house condition and those which refer to the relationship of household to dwelling.
