Urgent call for assurances that key legislation will be passed in the coming weeks

This week we issued a joint press release with our colleagues at the Chartered Institute of Housing NI, Homeless Connect, and the NI Federation of Housing Associations expressing concern that the political situation at Stormont will impact on both the Private Tenancies Bill and the welfare mitigations legislation.

 The Private Tenancies Bill includes important reforms to improve affordability, standards and protection against eviction for private renters in NI. Over 105,000 people in Northern Ireland rent privately, with many living in the sector because of the long waiting lists for social housing. The Communities Committee completed their scrutiny of the Bill in January but a date for the Bill to move to the next stage of the legislative process in the Assembly has not yet been scheduled.

The Welfare Supplementary Payments (Amendment) Bill is also passing through the Assembly at the moment. This legislation will extend the bedroom tax mitigations which are due to expire in March, and provide crucial protection to over 36,000 households impacted. Since issuing our press release we have been delighted that progress has been made with the welfare mitigations legislation;

• Regulations have been approved to close the loopholes in the bedroom tax and benefit cap mitigations which had left hundreds unprotected, and
• The Welfare Supplementary Payments (Amendment) Bill was amended to remove the end date for the bedroom tax mitigations and instead extend these protections indefinitely

Along with our colleagues in the Cliff Edge Coalition we will be continuing to campaign to ensure the Bill passes its final two stages in the Assembly to become law in the coming weeks.

Housing Rights, Policy Co-ordinator, Kerry Logan commented:

As an advice charity which helps people with housing problems, we know how important both these areas of legislation are. The Private Tenancies Bill will bring much-needed and long-awaited improvements for people who rent privately. Without the bedroom tax mitigations people will lose vital support which helps them stay in their homes. We urgently call for the NI Assembly to ensure both are passed without delay.

Press Release: Four leading housing organisations are calling for urgent assurances that key legislation will be passed in the coming weeks.  Issue date, February 8th 2022.