Policy

Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) Findings  published recently revealed that household incomes, poverty rates and the labour market have all worsened in Northern Ireland (NI) in the last five years. In each case, this deterioration has been greater than in Britain.  NI also has a higher poverty rate than the rest of Ireland. Before housing costs, 21% of people in NI were in poverty in 2011 compared with 15% in the Republic of Ireland.

As part of its ongoing work on social housing reform, the Department for Social Development (DSD) has produced a Research and Analysis Brief to inform future housing structures. The paper was recently submitted to the Social Development Committee for consideration. Nicola McCrudden summarises the key issues and conclusions from this paper and outlines next steps in the main reform areas of:

Notes from Housing Advice Practitioners’ Forum meeting 17 February 2014 on Future of the NI Housing Selection Scheme

The Housing Practitioners’ Forum is organised by Housing Rights Service (HRS).  It is made up of representatives from HRS member organisations. The Forum meets regularly to hear about and discuss the latest in housing case law, legislation and policy.