Assembly Roundup: September 2015

Implementation of changes to housing benefit award

To ask the Minister for Social Development when changes to housing benefit award notifications will be implemented to improve and simplify letters received by recipients, especially elderly residents; and whether these amendments will require legislative change.
Mrs Jo-Anne Dobson (UUP – Upper Bann) AQW 48259/11-16

The Housing Executive has advised that they consulted with tenant groups in both the social and private rented sectors and with voluntary agencies on the format for new simplified notifications. They are now in the final stages of production testing the new letters and plan to have them in operation later this month.
The Housing Executive further advised that there is no need for legislative change in relation to the new Housing Benefit notification letters.
 

Tenancy Deposit Scheme

To ask the Minister for Social Development to outline the benefits of the Tenancy Deposit Scheme.
Rosaleen McCorley (Sinn Fein – West Belfast) AQO 8600/11-16

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme, which came into operation on 1 April 2013, provides benefits for both private landlords and tenants by encouraging a more professional approach to tenancy deposits practice, minimises disputes and also improves the private rented sector’s reputation as a desirable housing option.
The Scheme was introduced to safeguard deposits on the basis that:

• When tenants are entitled to it, they will get all or part of their deposit back;
• Any disputes between tenants and landlords/agents including unpaid rent will be easier to resolve; and
• Tenants are encouraged to look after the property they are renting.

From 1 April 2013 to 31 July 2015 over 47, 800 deposits have been protected amounting to over £27.1m.
 

Local impact of working tax credit changes

To ask the Minister for Social Development for his assessment of the impact locally of the working tax credit changes announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8 July 2015.
Alex Atwood (SDLP – West Belfast) AQO 8601/11-16

In the Summer Budget 2015 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that he intended to achieve annual savings of £12 billion on welfare expenditure by 2019/2020. This included savings from changes to working tax credits.

Tax credits are a reserved matter and therefore changes to payment rates or eligibility criteria do not require Executive agreement. These measures will therefore be introduced by HM Revenue and Customs following the legislative passage of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015 in Great Britain. Thesavings will be achieved at a UK level regardless of the positions adopted by any devolved administration.

Since the budget statement DSD officials have been working to better understand both the detail and financial implications of the welfare measures in the budget and the impact on Northern Ireland.

An assessment of the impacts of the Summer Budget to include the changes to working tax credits will be available at the end of September.

Discussions on welfare reform

To ask the Minister for Social Development what discussions he and his senior officials have had with other political parties on Welfare Reform since June 2015
Mike Nesbitt (UUP – Strangford) AQO 8596/11-16

The answer to this question can be found in the offical report for AQO 8596/11-16. It was answered by Simon Hamilton (DUP - Strangford) on behalf of the Minister for Social Development