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When everyone has a home

028 9024 5640: Housing & Debt Helpline for Northern Ireland

Affordability

Dungannon and Portadown next for Universal Credit roll out

6 March 2018

Dungannon and Portadown are the next areas in Northern Ireland to have Universal Credit introduced on the 7 March 2018.

This new benefit will replace Housing Benefit, Working Tax Credits, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Income based Job Seekers Allowance and income related Employment and Support Allowance.  Anyone of working age who gets these benefits will be affected.

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Welfare Reform, Affordability

ADVISER: Helping Ciaran keep his home after redundancy

27 February 2018

Housing Rights adviser Amy recently helped 28 year old Ciaran. Ciaran struggled to meet his rent payments after being made redundant.

Sudden change in income

Ciaran lived in private rented accommodation, he had been working full time when he took on his tenancy and was able to fully cover the rent himself.

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Benefits, Regulation, Practical tips, Affordability, Adviser

New JRF report highlights NI has the highest level of homeowners living in poverty in UK.

19 February 2018

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), released a report in February 2018 on the circumstances of home-owners and those in poverty in NI. The Home-owners and Poverty in Northern Ireland report reaffirmed concerns that there are higher numbers of homeowners in NI living in poverty than anywhere else in the UK.

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Research, Policy, Affordability

Universal Credit roll out completion date extended to December 2018

2 February 2018

The Department for Communities announced today they have reviewed and updated the roll out schedule for Universal Credit in Northern Ireland.

As a result, the roll out phase which was due to complete in September 2018 will now be extended to December 2018.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Affordability

NI mortgage borrowers urged to seek advice to avoid interest only timebomb

30 January 2018

Local charity Housing Rights is urging homeowners with interest only mortgages who do not have a repayment plan in place to contact them for free advice.

The call comes on the back of concerns expressed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) that a significant number of interest only customers may not be able to repay the capital at the end of their mortgage.  According to the FCA nearly one in five mortgage customers have an interest only mortgage. 

Ursula Toner, Advice Services Manager with Housing Rights, commented:

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Housing Rights responds to “Breathing Space” consultation

2 January 2018

Housing Rights has responded to the Government’s consultation on a 6-week “breathing space” for people in serious problem debt.

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Policy, Affordability

Response for a breathing space scheme for people in serious debt

Policy Briefing
January 2018

Our work includes helping people with mortgage, tenancy and other housing debts, and working to ensure that our clients are empowered to sustain their tenancies. Whilst the consultation on a “breathing space” scheme is initially relevant to England, Housing Rights welcomes the potential for this to be extended to Wales and Northern Ireland, and is pleased to have the opportunity to contribute on this basis. 

PDF icon Housing Rights response for a breathing space scheme for this in debt DEC 17.pdf

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Policy, Affordability

Coleraine and Magherafelt to have Universal Credit introduced

12 December 2017

Coleraine and Magherafelt will be the third area in Northern Ireland to have Universal Credit introduced on the 13 December 2017.

This new benefit will replace Housing Benefit, Working Tax Credits, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Income based Job Seekers Allowance and income related Employment and Support Allowance.  Anyone of working age who gets these benefits will be affected.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Affordability

Placing homeless households in the private sector: Housing Rights’ position

7 December 2017

In the recently launched consultation on social housing allocations, the Department for Communities made 20 proposals. We consider one of the biggest of these: allowing the Housing Executive to discharge “Full Duty Applicant” (FDA) homeless households into the private rented sector.

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Social Tenancies, Private Tenancies, Policy, Homelessness, Affordability

Changes to Universal Credit announced in Autumn Budget 2017

22 November 2017

Chancellor for the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond, has announced a £1.5 billion package to address some of the concerns which have been raised in relation to Universal Credit.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Affordability

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