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When everyone has a home

028 9024 5640: Housing & Debt Helpline for Northern Ireland

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Text reads we helped prevent 1027 households from homelessness

At Housing Rights we believe that everyone should have a home, and we work tirelessly to keep people in their homes and help them with their housing problems.

Our 2021-22 Impact Card outlines the positive impact that Housing Rights had on people’s lives over the course of the year.

As a result of our work between March 2021 to April 2021:

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Benefits, Regulation, Social Tenancies, Private Tenancies, Policy, Homelessness, Adviser

Last month, the UK government announced that households in Northern Ireland will get a one-off payment of £600 to help with rising energy costs. The government is delivering the Energy Bills Support Scheme in the absence of an executive at Stormont. 

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Benefits, Money Matters, Regulation, Social Tenancies, Private Tenancies, Affordability, Adviser
money with a house on top

Young people who have experienced domestic abuse or modern slavery will be exempt from the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) shared accommodation rules from 1st October 2022.

The new regulations broaden the existing exemptions for young people under the local housing allowance rules for calculating help with private rental costs. This applies to claimants of both Housing Benefit and Universal Credit.

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Benefits, Legislation, Money Matters, Affordability, Adviser

Policy Priorities for a new NI Assembly Mandate

As we look to a new assembly mandate, Housing Rights have identified a set of key policy asks necessary to deliver good quality, affordable, sustainable homes for people across Northern Ireland over the next five years. These key asks are informed by the experience of people using our advice services.

With the ongoing impact of the pandemic continuing to be felt alongside the devastating impact of the cost of living crisis on people living on low incomes the need to address housing problems and homelessness is more important than ever.
 

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Benefits, Legislation, Regulation, Policy, Homelessness, Affordability, NI Assembly

The Housing Executive will deal with Housing Benefit and Rates Relief claims for homeowners from 1 June 2022. Land & Property Services will continue to deal with claims until then. 

This change should make it easier for people to get help with their rates bill and is seen as the best use of resources.  

Existing Housing Benefit claims from homeowners 

LPS will transfer its caseload of open and ongoing claims to the Housing Executive on 1 June 2022.  

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Benefits, Affordability
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Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) will now focus on sustaining tenancies and preventing homelessness. This means the Housing Executive will pay people more in DHPs and pay these for longer.

We were part of a group who worked with the Housing Executive on a review of these payments. We're hopeful the change will give much needed help to renters in Northern Ireland.

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Benefits, Private Tenancies, Affordability

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has announced changes to the Discretionary Housing Payments Scheme, offering greater support to private renters.

The scheme which is administered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, provides top-up payments to private renters to help meet the shortfall between their rent and help with housing costs. 

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Benefits, Private Tenancies, Affordability, Adviser

The next Housing Advice Practitioners’ Forum will take place online on Wednesday, March 30. The webinar starts at 2:00 pm and will include a presentation from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

Keeping our members updated on the latest information on housing legislation, policy and practice is an important aspect of Housing Rights' work.

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Benefits, Legislation, Private Tenancies, Practical tips, Policy, Adviser

Over the past few weeks, the Northern Ireland Assembly passed legislation to protect over 40,000 households from social security cuts.  

Housing Rights has been pushing for this legislation for the last 3 years as co-convenors of the Cliff Edge Coalition. We're delighted to see 3 new pieces of legislation which ensure that: 

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Benefits, Legislation, Welfare Reform, NI Assembly

We’ve seen an increase in the number of young people asking for help with housing issues in recent months.

Housing Rights for Young People is our specialist support service for young people in housing need. The service offers young people aged between 18-25 (or thereabouts):

  • Advice and information
  • Casework and advocacy
  • Mediation

Our young people's mediator has been able to help young people to resolve a variety of housing issues.

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Benefits, Affordability, Adviser

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