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<p>Housing is a devolved matter in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.</p><p>The
Government is committed to reducing the number of long-term empty homes to increase
the supply of housing.</p><p>In England, the number of long-term empty homes is down
by nearly a third since 2010. At May 2010 over 300,000 homes had been standing empty
for longer than 6 months. As of October 2017 the number of long term empty properties
had fallen to 205,293.</p><p>Local authorities in England have powers and strong incentives
to tackle empty homes, and through the New Homes Bonus they earn the same financial
reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one.</p><p>The Rating
(Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill, which was
introduced on 28 March, proposes to strengthen the powers available to local authorities
to tackle empty homes in England. Local authorities will be able to charge a 100 per
cent council tax premium (currently 50 per cent) to homes that have been empty for
at least two years.</p><p>Local authorities in England also have a discretionary power
under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to deal with derelict
land and buildings.</p>
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