June 2021

Changes to stamp duty in Northern Ireland

30 June 2021

Stamp duty thresholds in Northern Ireland change on 1 July 2021. Buyers will continue to pay reduced rates of stamp duty until 1 October 2021, at which point rates will revert to pre-pandemic levels.

Stamp duty in Northern Ireland from 1 July 2021

The stamp duty rates from 1 July 2021 are

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Affordability

New senior roles announced for Housing Rights

30 June 2021

Housing Rights is delighted to announce the appointment of Peter McMahon and Kate McCauley to two new senior roles within the organization, Head of Services & Support and Head of Policy & Development.

Universal Credit decisions on contrived tenancies

8 June 2021

Picture of woman with serious expression sitting at a table and reading a letter. Text over image reads "we have decided that you are not entitled to help with your housing costs"

Universal Credit may refuse a claim for help to pay a person’s housing costs if

they think that a tenancy is not a genuine commercial relationship between a landlord and a tenant or
they believe the tenancy was created to take advantage of the benefit system.

It’s important to get advice quickly if this happens to you or to your clients. Submitting a well-argued mandatory reconsideration request can help to prevent homelessness.

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Benefits, Private Tenancies, Welfare Reform

Deadline for EU Settlement Scheme fast approaching

8 June 2021

Picture of house surrounded by stars from EU flag

The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) closes in just over 3 weeks. It is essential for any EU national, or anyone who is not a family member of an EU national, to apply for status under this scheme by 30 June 2021. Without such status, a person's right to live and work in the UK may end.