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When everyone has a home

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Housing rights of migrants in Northern Ireland

13 October 2015

The Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, announced in the Assembly last week that Northern Ireland intends to welcome between 50 and 100 Syrian asylum seekers by December of this year.

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Benefits, Minority Groups, Social Tenancies, Homelessness

Students and housing benefit

19 August 2015

As the new university term approaches, Ursula Toner takes a look at student eligibility for housing benefit.  

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Benefits, Social Tenancies, Private Tenancies, Affordability

Low income is the top reason for food bank use in NI

18 August 2015

The last few years has seen an increase in the number of food banks operating in Northern Ireland. The Department for Social Development (DSD) recently undertook research to better understand why people need to use them.

Their research, An Insight into Food Banks in Northern Ireland,  found that a third of people in Northern Ireland have to use the food banks because of their low income.

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Benefits, Affordability

Getting LHA paid for an extra bedroom for a disabled child

21 July 2015

Back in 2013 the Department for Social Development (DSD) issued guidance (Memo 3/13) on allowing Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to be paid for an extra bedroom where a disabled child cannot share a bedroom with other children for medical reasons.

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Benefits, Private Tenancies, Practical tips, Case law

Housing announcements in 2015 budget

9 July 2015

The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave his budget to Parliament on Wednesday 8th July.  The full budget and supporting documents can be found on Gov.uk. We've rounded up some of the headline announcements which will impact on those who work in housing. 

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Benefits, Outside NI, Affordability, NI Assembly

Change to Support for Mortgage Interest

6 July 2015

The interest rate used to calculate how much help homeowners can get towards the interest on their mortgage is falling to 3.12% from 6 July 2015.  It's important that any homeowners who receive this payment as part of their benefits understand how this change will affect them.

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Benefits, Money Matters, Repossession, Affordability

Housing and welfare in the Queen's speech

28 May 2015

Yesterday's Queen's speech detailed the new Conservative majority government's proposed legislative programme for parliament.  The speech referred to a number of significant changes which will impact on housing and welfare law, policy and practice.

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Benefits, Minority Groups, Welfare Reform, Policy, Landlord

LSE report raises concerns about welfare reform

15 April 2015

A recent report from the London School of Economics claims that the government's Welfare Reform programme isn't working as planned.  The report finds that the savings promised by government have not materialised and that the costs of implementing changes have proven to be higher than predicted. 

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Benefits, Outside NI, Welfare Reform

April changes to rents and benefits

3 April 2015

April of each year sees a number of uplifts and changes in benefit rates and rents.   We've updated Housing Law in Practice with details of the new rates, but you can also find links to this information below. 

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Benefits, Affordability

ADVISER: Non-dependent or undeclared partner?

26 March 2015

Aine, a Housing Executive tenant, contacted Housing Rights Service when she received a letter which stated that she was being pursued for a housing benefit overpayment of £19,000.

The letter said that the Housing Executive believed, based on evidence it had received from the Social Security Agency, that Aine was living with a partner but had not declared this.  

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Benefits, Practical tips, Affordability, Adviser

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