This site uses cookies to store information on your computer.
Some cookies on this site are essential, and the site won't work as expected without them. These cookies are set when you submit a form, login or interact with the site by doing something that goes beyond clicking on simple links.
We also use some non-essential cookies to anonymously track visitors or enhance your experience of the site. If you're not happy with this, we won't set these cookies but some nice features of the site may be unavailable.
By using our site you accept the terms of our Privacy Policy.
Housing Rights is one of over 60 organisations in Northern Ireland which have joined together to express concern about the planned end in March 2020 of important mitigations which protect people from some of the harshest impacts of welfare reform.
The clock is ticking on the NI welfare reform mitigations package. So far, the devastating impacts of the bedroom tax have not been felt in Northern Ireland to the same extent as they have elsewhere. But, this may mean that certain people are subject to this tax who should not be.
Welfare reform continues to have a huge impact on the housing situation of low income households in Northern Ireland. As well as advice agencies the public often approach their constituency offices for help and support with housing issues
Our Housing Advice in Prisons services helps people in Maghaberry, Magilligan and Hydebank who are newly committed and those who are preparing for release to deal with their housing issues. One of the major issues that housing advisers who work in this service face at the moment is the way in which Universal Credit deals with the housing costs of prisoners.
Subscribers to the Child Poverty Action Group's Poverty journal will have seen a summary of the recent joint report from Housing Rights, the Law Centre and Advice NI on welfare reform mitigations in Northern Ireland and the looming crisis when these mitigations end in March 2020.
The Department for Communities has published results of its survey of the attitudes of people who currently claim benefits towards welfare reform. This report establishes a baseline for future research the Department will carry out into experiences and attitudes of welfare reform and are part of a wider ongoing evaluation of welfare reform, which is being carried out by the Department.
Several new pieces of legislation have been laid before Parliament in order to give effect to changes to Universal Credit , which were announced by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
