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When everyone has a home

028 9024 5640: Housing & Debt Helpline for Northern Ireland

June 2017

Letting fees case at Court

29 June 2017

A legal case regarding letting fees taken by a Queens University Students Union Officer, and supported by Housing Rights is being heard at Court.  

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Private Tenancies, Legal

Benefit cap challenge succeeds at High Court

23 June 2017

The High Court of England and Wales has decided that applying the benefit cap to lone parents with children under the age of two has a discriminatory impact on children and is, therefore, unlawful.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Case law, Legal

Understanding Money Skills - report from Citizens Advice

20 June 2017

In their recent report, Understanding Money Skills, Citizens Advice surveyed over 1,000 clients on their money skills. Their clients represent some of the most disadvantages and vulnerable people in society.

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“Housing Champion Project” to increase quality housing advice in BME communities

20 June 2017

June 2017 will see Housing Rights and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive embark on an exciting new peer project that will increase access to housing advice in black and minority ethnic communities, including refugees, and all others who identify with this group. 

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Minority Groups

Reduction in SMI rate puts homeowners at risk

13 June 2017

Homeowners who receive government help with their mortgage interest payments are likely to suffer a financial blow when the amount they receive reduces.

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Benefits, Repossession, Welfare Reform

What is Support for Mortgage Interest?

13 June 2017

Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) is the collective name given to the financial help with mortgage interest payments which can be made to certain benefit claimants.  SMI can also help with the costs of certain loans secured on a property. 

SMI can be claimed by people who are in receipt of

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Benefits, Repossession, Welfare Reform, Affordability

Future changes to Support for Mortgage Interest

9 June 2017

On 18th June, the rate of Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) will fall from 3.12% to 2.61%. This could have significant impacts on the ability of SMI recipients to stay in their homes.

However, this isn’t the only change on the way for Support for Mortgage Interest. Over the next few years there will be more changes that will further restrict and alter this benefit.

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Benefits, Welfare Reform, Affordability

First landlord licensing prosecution in Wales

8 June 2017

A Welsh landlord has been fined £4,400 and costs for failing to comply with the landlord licensing requirements of Rent Smart Wales.

“Rent Smart Wales” and landlord licensing

Since 23rd November 2016, a system of landlord registration and licensing has operated in Wales. All private landlords in Wales must be registered; in addition to this, all private landlords – or agents who act on their behalf – must be licensed in order to let private property in Wales. 

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Regulation, Private Tenancies, Landlord

Volunteers Week: Volunteering at Housing Rights

7 June 2017

All volunteers play an important role in helping Housing Rights improve lives by tackling homelessness and housing problems. For Volunteers Week 2017, we asked a few of our volunteers why they decided to volunteer with Housing Rights.

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Housing in the 2017 Westminster manifestos

5 June 2017

With the 2017 Westminster election just days away, we’ve taken a look at the housing content of the main parties’ manifestos.

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