The Government is investing a further £20 million to improve the Welsh housing stock and bring thousands of derelict and inhabitable properties back into use.

Communities and Tackling Poverty Minister, Lesley Griffiths, launched the Home Improvement Loans scheme, which will offer loans to home owners and landlords to improve poor quality housing across Wales.

Funding of £10 million will be provided over two years to offer interest-free loans of up to £25,000 per property, which will be recycled by local authorities and provided to homeowners across Wales to maximise the funding and improve the standard of Welsh housing.

The Minister also announced a further £10 million for the Houses into Homes scheme, bringing the total investment in the programme to £30 million.

The additional funding will expand the programme which provides re-usable, interest-free loans to owners of empty run-down properties, to bring them back into use for sale or rent.

To date, 4471 empty and run-down properties have been turned into homes so far this Assembly term, only 529 short of the Welsh Government’s ambitious 5,000 target for the whole term.

Lesley Griffiths said: “The success of our flagship Houses into Homes scheme must also be acknowledged. As well as bringing 4471 properties back into use, the scheme is also creating jobs in our construction industry.”