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Welfare Reform

Housing Benefit affected if any member of the household is outside NI

10 November 2017

In January 2017 the temporary absence rules for Housing Benefit changed. Since then, there has been a four-week limit placed on absences outside Northern Ireland. If a person is absent from Northern Ireland for more than four weeks, that person is no longer entitled to receive Housing Benefit, unless the absence is for specific reasons.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Affordability

Government rejects House of Lords recommendations to ease financial exclusion

10 November 2017

The Government has responded to a House of Lords Committee report on financial exclusion. In its response, it has rejected Committee recommendations to remove the requirement to remove waiting days from Universal Credit for all claimants and to allow direct payment of housing costs to landlords in England and Wales.

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Benefits, Outside NI, Welfare Reform

Transferring accommodation and the Social Sector Size Criteria

26 October 2017

Housing Rights recently assisted a couple who were transferring between social tenancies and stood to be negatively impacted by the Social Sector Size Criteria. Housing Rights helped to ensure that the couple made their move without experiencing financial loss. 

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Social Tenancies, Practical tips, Welfare Reform

Prime Minister announces LHA cap will not be applied to social housing

26 October 2017

The Prime Minister has announced that the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) cap will not be applied to social housing.

In Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday 25th October, the Prime Minister announced that the capping of social rents at the LHA rate will be scrapped:

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Policy

Conversion of Support for Mortgage Interest to a loan

13 October 2017

Regulations converting Support for Mortgage Interest to a loan have recently been passed. We take a look at how the new payments of SMI will operate for claimants.

Loans for mortgage interest

All payments of SMI made on or after 6th April 2018 will take the form of a loan.

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Benefits, Repossession, Welfare Reform, Affordability

Older homeowners urged to get advice about benefit changing to loan

12 October 2017

Local charity Housing Rights is urging older people who get help paying the interest on their mortgage (Support for Mortgage Interest SMI)  to seek advice as they receive notification of the benefit changing to a loan. 

The Department for Communities will be sending out letters notifying older people about the change this weekend.  Claimants will also be contacted by phone in the coming weeks in advance of the benefit ending.

Ursula Toner, Advice Services Manager with Housing Rights said:

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Struggling Universal Credit claimants signposted to advance payments

9 October 2017

Universal Credit claimants will typically wait six weeks before receiving their first payment. While those who have applied immediately after leaving employment may be able to sustain themselves during this six-week period with their final payment of wages.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform

Rates assistance for Universal Credit claimants

29 September 2017

Universal Credit will be introduced in Northern Ireland on 27 September. People who are claiming Universal Credit will have to make a separate application for help with their rates. This assistance will be made available under a new “rates rebate” scheme, administered by Land and Property Services and accessed through NI Direct.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform

Housing Rights joins call for urgent review of the rollout of Universal Credit in NI

26 September 2017

Housing Rights, together with NIFHA, the Council for Homelessness in NI, Shelter NI, the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, Advice NI and Supporting Communities NI, is calling for the rollout of Universal Credit in Northern Ireland to be urgently reviewed to prevent issues that have arisen in England, Scotland and Wales being repeated in Northern Ireland.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Policy, Affordability

Concerns about how Universal Credit deals with changes of circumstances

22 September 2017

Elements of Universal Credit will pose significant challenges for claimants, advisers and landlords. Housing Rights has particular concerns about how Universal Credit deals with changes of circumstance, particularly in respect of tenants who move home during an assessment period. Changes of circumstances are backdated to the beginning of the assessment period in which the change happened.

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Benefits, Money Matters, Welfare Reform, Policy, Affordability

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