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Falling Behind: Exploring the gap between Local Housing Allowance and the availability of affordable private rented accommodation in Northern Ireland.
This research shows that renting privately in Northern Ireland is becoming increasingly unaffordable for people who rely on housing benefit to pay their rent. Almost 9 out of 10 of rental properties are out of reach for people receiving Housing Benefit with the research showing that as little as 12% of properties in the sector would have their rent fully covered by the amount of benefit available.
New research launched today by advice charity Housing Rights shows that renting privately in Northern Ireland is becoming increasingly unaffordable for people who rely on housing benefit to pay their rent. Almost 9 out of 10 of rental properties are out of reach for people receiving Housing Benefit with the research showing that as little as 12% of properties in the sector would have their rent fully covered by the amount of benefit available.
In a recently published report, CIH suggests that housing allocation policies in England need to be revisited to ensure that those most in need of housing are not excluded by process driven allocations policies. In certain cases, activity undertaken by housing providers to ensure that teanncies are sustainable actually undermines efforts to house those who need homes the most.
A study commissioned by Crisis has found that realigning Local Housing Allowance rates with market rents would generate significant benefits to the economy through reduced spend on homelessness services and social gains as a result of more positive health and well-being outcomes amongst claimants.
The FCA has announced a consultation on guidance for firms on the fair treatment of vulnerable consumers. This draft guidance sets out the FCA's view of what the FCA Principles require of firms to ensure that vulnerable consumers are consistently treated fairly by financial services providers. The FCA is seeking comments on the first stage of the consultation by 4 October 2019.
Housing Rights welcomes the recent decision of the Supreme Court in Samuels v Birmingham City Council [2019] UKSC28 in which Lord Carnwath stated that it was “hard to see on what basis the finding of intentional homelessness could be properly upheld” when the mother of four fell into rent arrears.
The Last Time Buyer: housing and finance for an aging society, a new report by Prof. Les Mayhew (Cass Business School) for the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation focuses on enabling older people to monetise the very substantial wealth that is trapped in the UK’s housing stock.
Housing Rights previously responded to a call for evidence in 2017. In October 2018, the Treasury published detailed policy proposals regarding the operation of a Breathing Space Scheme and associated Statutory Debt Repayment Plan (SDRP).
In October 2018, the Treasury published detailed policy proposals regarding the operation of a Breathing Space Scheme and associated Statutory Debt Repayment Plan (SDRP). The Breathing Space Scheme is intended to give people in problem debt the right to legal protections from creditor action while they receive debt advice and enter into an appropriate debt solution. With regard to the housing-specific aspects of this consultation, the following measures are proposed:
Housing debts could be excludable under the SDRP, thereby enabling clients to repay these debts more quickly to avoid eviction; and
Where housing debts are included in any SDRP, these debts would be prioritised.
Housing Rights’ views on these proposals are outlined in this response.
