BBC News has reported that a government scheme to upgrade social housing may take eight years longer than expected and cost around twice the original estimate. The National Audit Office, states the public service agreement to ensure local authority housing met appropriate living standards will be fulfilled in 2018.

When first launched in 2000, the Decent Homes scheme was supposed to conclude by 2010. Nevertheless, a government spokesman still believes the scheme to be a success saying: 'the original cost estimate only covered the backlog of council housing stock and it was always understood this would never pay for the entire programme'.

The spending watchdog doesn't however agree, criticising the government for not addressing the costs properly in its recent report stating that costs are to reach £37b - twice the original cost estimate.

The programme has been a success in terms of housing upgrades with over 1.4m homes being upgraded by the programme and 92% of social housing being of a high standard. In addition, the Decent Homes scheme created hundreds of social housing jobs despite the housing market recession.

Such social housing jobs are still in high demand as 350,000 homes still remain in a 'non-decent' state, leaving families in homes that are not warm, watertight or of a reasonable repair.

The head of the National Audit Office, Amyas Norse has called for a 'reliable finding mechanism' to be introduced for the remainder of the Decent Homes scheme and stated that 'the government's efforts have been undermined by weakness in the information it holds - there are important lessons here on the benefits of having clear information on programmes when delivery is devolved to a local level'.