Policy paper

Prolonged disruption compensation scheme

Published 28 August 2019

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Introduction

High Speed Two (HS2) is the new high speed railway for Britain.

We (HS2 Ltd) are the company set up by the government to plan and build the railway. We plan to build HS2 in 3 phases. Phase One will connect Birmingham and the West Midlands to London. Work on this phase has already begun. Phase 2a will connect the West Midlands to Crewe and Phase 2b will connect the line with Manchester and Leeds.

We are aware of the issues that building a new railway can cause to people who live nearby. We will design and build the railway in ways that reduce noise as much as we reasonably can.

HS2 originally explained in its information paper E23 how we tackle construction noise and that if we are not able to reduce this to specific levels, residents are eligible to first have installed new noise insulation, and then if noise is predicted to be higher, can request to be temporarily re-housed.

In addition, in August 2019 we announced an alternative scheme where if you would be eligible to be temporarily rehoused, you can instead request to receive cash compensation to stay in your home. This is known as the prolonged disruption compensation scheme (PDCS). This document explains the key parts of this scheme.

HS2 is currently developing its design and construction approach which includes forecasting the amount of noise our works could make. We do not expect any significantly noisy activities to start until mid-2020 and in some places this may not be until 2021. In most parts of the Phase One route, we do not expect any significant construction noise.

In all cases where you are eligible to be temporarily rehoused or receive cash compensation, we will contact you in advance of the construction works to discuss these options and provide more information about the application process.

If you have any questions or are worried about how these schemes may work, please contact the HS2 Helpdesk on 08081 434 434 who can provide more information.

How the scheme works

How will I know if I qualify for this scheme ?

You will need to be a resident or tenant currently living at a property affected by HS2’s construction noise.

If you will be affected by HS2 construction noise which exceeds the thresholds and criteria we have set, you will have a choice between receiving cash compensation to stay in your home, or to be temporarily re-housed.

We will contact you in advance of the construction works to discuss your options. We will explain the choices you have. We will also help you understand the construction works, when we will be noisy - during the day or at night, weekdays or weekends - and over how many weeks.

If you decide to stay in your home and receive compensation you must also have noise insulation installed. If you have not already been offered and had HS2’s noise insulation installed, we will also offer this to you ahead of the works.

How much cash compensation could I get?

When we contact you to discuss your options we will let you know how long the works will last and the amount of cash compensation we will pay.

The amount of cash compensation you will get depends on:

• the average rental value for the Council Tax band of your property in your local authority area
• the length of time we predict you will experience noisy works

Who receives the compensation?

The compensation is calculated for the whole property, not the number of people living in it. Therefore we would normally arrange the compensation to be paid to a person named on the tenancy agreement or the leasehold or freeholder owner occupier.

If the eligible property consists of multiple tenancies the amount of cash compensation will be divided equally.

We will ask you to confirm that you are currently living at the property and your legal entitlement to be there. You may also have to provide evidence that your tenancy or property ownership covers the affected period.

When will payments be made under the scheme?

We will pay this money to you on a monthly basis for each month or part where you are eligible.

If I take cash compensation, can I ask to be temporarily re-housed later?

Yes. You can ask HS2 to temporarily rehouse you after the works have started. We will continue to pay you the cash compensation until you move in to the alternative accommodation.

Likewise, if you are temporarily rehoused, but would like to move back to your home whilst it is still noisy, you will be eligible to cash compensation under the scheme from when you move back home.

You cannot be temporarily rehoused and receive cash compensation at the same time.

I am receiving benefit payments. Does this affect the amount I receive?

If you are receiving benefit payments from the Department for Work and Pensions, you should check with them whether the cash compensation would affect your benefits.

Can I sell my home to the government if the noise is too much?

Although HS2 will seek to minimise construction noise wherever possible, this policy enables you to ask the government to purchase your property where you are entitled to be temporarily rehoused for at least 3 months in one go.

When we contact you to explain your eligibility to be temporarily rehoused or receive cash compensation, we will explain if your property is forecast to have more than 3 months of significant noise. In this case, we will explain more about how the government can buy your property and what you need to do to apply for this.

If you decide to take up the offer of the government purchasing your property you can also ask to be temporarily rehoused, or to receive the cash compensation before your property is sold.

Contact

Email: HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk

Freephone: 08081 434 434

Minicom: 08081 456 472

Alternatively you can write to us at:

HS2 Community Hub
High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd
Two Snowhill
Snow Hill Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6GA

www.hs2.org.uk