Council Tenants On Universal Credit 16 Times More Likely To Abandon Tenancies

Council tenants on Universal Credit are 16 times more likely to abandon their tenancies and three times more likely to be evicted than those receiving housing benefit, a new report has indicated. A survey of local authority landlords by the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH) and the National Federation of ALMOs (NFA) also revealed that the new welfare system is costing councils hundreds of thousands of pounds in extra housing management spending. It showed that two-thirds (67%) of council tenants receiving Universal Credit are currently in rent arrears, owing an average of £564 – equivalent to seven weeks’ rent. In comparison, 21% of households on housing benefit are in arrears, owing £221. Download the report from the ARCH website.

http://www.arch-housing.org.uk/media/130243/arch_nfa_universal_credit_survey_2019_v4_web.pdf