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028 9024 5640: Housing & Debt Helpline for Northern Ireland

Affordability

Housing Rights responds to Breathing Space consultation

Consultation Response
January 2019

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. 

 

PDF icon HousingRights_breathingspace_consultationresponse_Jan2019.pdf

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Policy, Affordability

Consultation on breathing space scheme for people in problem debt

11 January 2019

The government has launched a consultation on a breathing space scheme for people in problem debt. The proposed scheme is accompanied by an additional proposal to introduce an associated statutory debt repayment plan (SDRP). Both the breathing space scheme and SDRP are intended to supplement existing debt management solutions.

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Policy, Affordability

The Impact of Universal Credit on Social Housing Tenants

15 December 2018

A new report by the Smith Institute ‘Safe as Houses 2: a follow-up report into the impact of Universal Credit on Southwark Council’s housing tenants rent payment behaviour’ show that what could have been argued to be ‘teething problems’ with the new benefit system, appear to have more systemic routes, with rent arrears appearing to be a longer-term consequence of Universal Credit for many social housi

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Benefits, Social Tenancies, Welfare Reform, Affordability

Housing Benefit for sale and rent back cases: Test of practical compulsion

25 October 2018
Image of housing benefit application form and electricity meter cards

The UK Upper Tribunal has found that a First Tier Tribunal erred in law by deciding that a person who sold his former home and rented it back could not receive Housing Benefit. In an important decision, the court ruled that the test of whether someone could continue to occupy their home without relinquishing ownership is one of practical compulsion, rather than legal compulsion and does not necessitate that the lender has started legal action to recover possession of the property.

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Benefits, Practical tips, Case law, Affordability, Legal

Cost of poor housing in Northern Ireland

19 October 2018

The Housing Executive has published the results of its analysis of the costs of poor housing in Northern Ireland. The report suggests that it would cost approximately £305million to eliminate category 1 hazards across Northern Ireland's housing stock, but suggests that such costs would be recovered within 8 years via reduced NHS costs as a result of improved housing. 

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Regulation, Social Tenancies, Affordability

The impact of Welfare Reform on housing

Policy Briefing
June 2018

A briefing document for the All Party Group created and presented by Housing Rights in June 2018. 

The document highlights three key areas of concern and included a focus on the situation post 2020 when the current scheme of mitigation payments are due to expire.

PDF icon Housing Rights Briefing June2018 -The Impact of Welfare Reform on Housing 250618.pdf

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Policy, Affordability

Housing Benefit transitional payment for Universal Credit claimants

3 May 2018

Back in November 2017, Chancellor for the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond, announced a £1.5 billion package to address some of the concerns which have been raised in relation to Universal Credit. One of the main measures introduced was the concept of a “Housing Benefit transitional payment for Universal Credit claimants”.

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Benefits, Money Matters, Welfare Reform, Affordability

Homeowners urged to get advice as benefit changes to loan.

6 April 2018

A benefit that helps homeowners to pay the interest on their mortgage changes to a loan today.  Local charity Housing Rights is urging households who may be affected to get advice.  The charity’s helpline is already dealing with calls from homeowners who get the benefit, called Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI), who are unsure what the changes will mean for them.

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Changes to Support for Mortgage Interest take effect from 6 April

28 March 2018

From the 6 April 2018, Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) will be changing to a loan.

SMI is a benefit paid towards the interest on a claimants mortgage and some home improvement loans. If a claimant does not opt in, SMI benefit payments will cease and they will have to pay their mortgage interest another way.

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Benefits, Money Matters, Welfare Reform, Affordability

Findings from the Housing Executive Private Tenants Survey 2016

27 March 2018

The Housing Executive recently published their findings from the 2016 Private Tenants Survey. A total of 144 privately renting tenants across Northern Ireland gave their views and experiences of renting across a range of topics including rights as a tenant, affordability, satisfaction, and future regulation. This survey has previously been carried out in 2006 and 2012.

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Research, Private Tenancies, Affordability, Landlord

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