1. Council Housing
1.4 Rent levels for all types of housing provided by the council
General needs housing
The average rent for a Council house in Scotland in 1998/99 was £35.36 a week, representing an approximate 5% rise over the previous year. Rents obviously vary according to the size of the property, where it is situated and whether or not it has central heating and double glazing. The table opposite summarises the rents charged by Council areas.
Sheltered housing
The rents for sheltered housing units tend to be a little higher and depend upon the landlord as the way in which rents are calculated varies among local authority and housing association providers.
Homeless persons' accommodation
The rent charged to applicants in this type of accommodation is generally more than for general needs housing. This is because the charges have to cover the costs of managing the accommodation and providing furniture. Sometimes the charges will also include gas, electricity and council tax. The rent and charges may also be different depending on the type of temporary housing provided. If a homeless application is made and an applicant is provided with temporary accommodation the Council officer will explain in detail about the charges which are likely to be met in full by Housing Benefit for people with no other income.
Housing Benefit
Anyone on a low income and paying rent for accommodation - whether from the Council, Scottish Homes, a housing association or co-operative or any other public or private landlord - may be entitled to receive Housing Benefit. This can be enough to pay all or some of the rent due, depending on a verified assessment of the applicant's income sources and levels and any capital accrued as savings.
Average weekly rents for Councils 1998/99
Aberdeen City
£33.10
Aberdeenshire
£30.63
Angus
£27.04
Argyll and Bute
£36.58
City of Edinburgh
£45.65
City of Glasgow
£42.63
Clackmannanshire
£30.74
Dumfries and Galloway
£32.77
Dundee City
£38.03
East Ayrshire
£28.96
East Dunbartonshire
£32.78
East Lothian
£30.25
East Renfrewshire
£31.12
Falkirk
£30.90
Fife
£31.13
Highland
£40.19
Inverclyde
£38.54
Midlothian
£27.25
Moray
£29.00
North Ayrshire
£31.10
North Lanarkshire
£33.11
Orkney
£32.85
Perth and Kinross
£29.81
Renfrewshire
£34.46
Scottish Borders
£30.97
Shetland Islands
£40.25
South Ayrshire
£32.89
South Lanarkshire
£37.24
Stirling
£33.46
West Dunbartonshire
£33.23
West Lothian
£32.96
Western Isles
£37.40
