Lottery winner sparks outrage after refusing to leave council house despite long waiting list for accommodation

A lottery winner has sparked outrage by refusing to leave his council house despite a long waiting list. (Getty Images)

A lottery winner has sparked outrage by refusing to leave his council house despite a long waiting list.

The unnamed tenant reportedly won a 'significant' lottery prize, but has refused to leave the house he is legally entitled to remain in for life. The man has also allegedly refused to purchase another property.

The issue, which was debated by councillors on the housing advisory panel of Stroud district council in Gloucestershire, has prompted the council to consider whether to end lifetime tenancies.

The news of the tenant comes as more than 3,200 people who cannot afford their own homes remain on the council house waiting list in the Stroud area.

Stroud District council tenant Margaret Marshall told This is Gloucestershire that the lottery winner should move on: "I think that's fair. If I won then I'd go, because other people need homes," said Mrs Marshall. "Otherwise, I might buy it, then they could build another with the money," she said.

The council, which is run by a coalition, has so far refused to release any information about the individual involved - or indeed where they live.

Earlier this year ministers promised that as many as 34,000 high-earning council tenants could be forced to pay full market rates for their homes.

Under current housing laws social housing tenants are allowed to pay a fraction of what a similar property could cost on the market.

This week details emerged of how lottery winners spent their earnings, with some surprisingly modest purchases topping the list.

The research by forecasting consultancy Oxford Economics discovered that an Audi was the most popular car among the 3,000 winners surveyed; America was their favourite holiday destination and almost a third had a Jacuzzi at home.

The group have also bought 7,958 homes, 17,190 new cars and 300 caravans.

However, some winners have also started or supported 900 UK businesses employing 3,195 people, and 98 per cent of their spending remained in the UK.

Overall, the winners' spending contributed almost £750m to the UK and generated more than £500m in tax receipts.