Part 4: Social Housing in England Chapter 2: Vacant Higher Value Local Authority Housing Payments to Secretary of State by Local Housing Authorities Section 70: Housing to be taken into account
The housing to be taken into account when calculating the payment for each local authority is any housing above the relevant higher value threshold (as set out in regulations under section 69(8)) which the local authority is required to account for within its HRA (see subsection (2)(a)). Under regulations the Secretary of State can exclude housing from the payment. The exclusion could be framed by reference to, for instance, the characteristics of the housing, its geographical location or other factors.
	Subsection (3) applies where a local housing authority disposes of some or all of its housing to a private registered provider (i.e. a housing association) under section 32 or 43 of the Housing Act 1985. Such disposals are generally referred to as stock transfers. Subsection (3) enables the Secretary of State to continue to take the housing that has been transferred into account when making a determination in relation to that local authority under section 69. Any such housing must be identified in the determination to ensure that it is clear when this provision is being relied on (subsection (4)).