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Levels of personal debt have grown significantly in the last number of years and consequently debt problems have become an increasingly large area of work for many advisers. The recession has exacerbated these problems for many people. Where a client’s debts include a housing element such as rent or mortgage arrears they risk losing their home if these debts are not addressed.
Northern Ireland has seen home ownership fall from 73% at its peak in 2006, to 63% now. A think tank from the Resolution Foundation used data from the Office for National Statistics' Labour Force Survey (LFS) to look at home ownership in the UK.
They found that Northern Ireland has seen the biggest fall in home ownership in the UK.
The benefits cap is to be introduced to Northern Ireland from 31st May, 2016.
What is the benefits cap?
The cap is contained in the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015, and places a limit on the total amount of benefits working-age households can receive. Benefits which count towards the calculation of the cap are:
Housing Rights supports the Housing Executive’s aim of tackling financial inclusion by improving their customers’ financial wellbeing. We view this strategy as a positive recognition by the Housing Executive of their role in supporting tenants in this area.
Research from the Irish League of Credit Unions shows that over 270,000 people in Northern Ireland have used moneylenders or payday loans while a further 193,000 people would consider using these services.
The impact on child health as a result of fuel poverty was the subject of a recent seminar held in Belfast. Housing Rights is well used to dealing with enquiries about problems with heating systems, lack of sufficient heating and financial issues relating to the cost of heating a home. In many cases this can have a knock-on effect on the condition of the home such as dampness and condensation. But, an impact that is often hidden is the effect a cold home can have on children.
