BME Social Tenants Less Satisfied With Their Landlords Than Whites

In-depth analysis of the results of surveys by the Human City Institute with 6,500 social tenants over the last four years, supplemented by focus groups with more than 300 tenants, point to a ‘satisfaction gap’ between BME and white tenants. This gap varies by individual social landlord service element, across aspects of the landlord-tenant relationship, and within opportunities for resident involvement. The analysis found that, whereas 66% of whites are satisfied with the overall social landlord service, this falls to 59% for BME groups. The ‘satisfaction gap’ for repairs and maintenance is 6%. And for satisfaction with neighbourhoods, it’s 15%. See more on the Human City Institute twitter feed https://twitter.com/HumanCityInst/status/1070948847927595009

Homelessness Among Ethnic Minorities Soars Under Conservative Government

Homelessness among ethnic minorities has reached the highest level in more than a decade and has rocketed since the Conservatives came to power in 2010. A new analysis of official statistics shows 5,030 black and minority ethnic (BAME) households were categorised as homeless between July and September 2016 - up from 3,310 during the same period in 2010. It means the number of BAME households being accepted as homeless has risen four times faster than among other groups. Between the summer of 2010 and the summer of 2016 homelessness among BAME households increased by 52 per cent, compared with 13 per among people classed as "White British". Read more on the Independent website.

Landlord on HCA Watch List after £2.3m Grant Cut Off

One of England’s largest black and minority ethnic housing associations has been placed on the regulator’s ‘watch list’ after a £2.3 million grant allocation was withdrawn.  Tuntum Housing Association, which owns around 1,300 homes, is now the sole English landlord on the list of organisations at risk of being downgraded to a non-compliant ‘G3’ rating for governance. It currently has a ‘G2’ rating, meaning it complies but needs to improve.  It is understood the regulator became concerned after the withdrawal of grant funding by the investment arm of the HCA.  Tuntum had been allocated £2.3 million through the £100 million Empty Homes fund. However, it asked for a further £500,000 to deliver the scheme. The HCA subsequently withdrew the entire allocation because it was not convinced the scheme would be completed before the March 2015 deadline. Read more on Inside Housing.

BME Britons More Likely To Be Homeless or Live In Overcrowded Homes

Black and minority ethnic groups are more likely to be homeless or live in overcrowded accommodation, a study has found.  Research into three London boroughs by race equality charity Runnymede Trust, showed black and minority ethnic groups were around three times as likely to live in overcrowded homes. The research, which focused on Croydon, Redbridge and Kingston, also found higher homelessness rates among black people. Overcrowding was found to be around three times as high among black and minority ethnic communities than in white communities in each borough. Read more on the Runnymede Trust website.

Welfare Reforms Will 'Hit Women Hardest'

Welfare reforms will hit women harder than men, research published by the Welsh Government reveals. The findings show that single parents who are out of work will incur the largest reduction in benefit and tax credit entitlement. Of this group, 90 per cent are female.  Capping the household benefit at £26,000 is likely to have a disproportionate impact on black and ethnic minority claimants because of a tendency for family size to be larger, the research concluded. The national roll-over for the cap began on Monday. The report also suggests carers of disabled people may lose some of their support as a result of the reforms.  Read more on Inside Housing.

Addressing Supported Housing Needs for Minority Ethnic Groups

The recent debates on the proposed changes to housing benefit in the welfare reform bill raise concerns about the impact of such changes on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. This will include those in supported housing accommodation and black and minority ethnic communities. Supported housing covers a range of accommodation types and support to address the needs of a range of people. In Better Housing briefing paper Meeting the supported housing needs of black and minority ethnic communities, the Race Equality Foundation draws attention to discrepancies in the experiences of groups within these communities of supported housing. Evidence shows that people from minority groups may be more likely to require supported housing services and this is demonstrated in the areas of mental health, homelessness, domestic violence, older people and young parents outlined in the briefing. Download a copy of the briefing from the Race Equality Foundation website.

DWP Defends Benefit Reforms in Court

The Department for Work and Pensions has vigorously defended its housing benefit reforms at the High Court. CPAG have claimed in court (see story immediately below this one) that the secretary of state for Work and Pensions had acted outside the powers of the Housing Act 1996 by setting caps that do not take into account local availability of accommodation. It says the policy will increase homelessness in high rental areas, contrary to the aim of the scheme. But the DWP have argued that there is no requirement in the legislation that housing benefit should enable claimants to live in any area they choose, regardless of the implications for public policy and public finances. The DWP’s submission to the court said even if it had found the reforms would have a disproportionate effect on ethnic minority households it would still have proceeded with them. It said: ‘The secretary of state would have proceeded to implement the proposed measures in light of the strong socio-economic imperatives.’ A decision in the case is expected in early August. Read more on Inside Housing.

Court Hears DWP Failed Race Equality Duties

The Department for Work and Pensions failed to have regard to race equality duties when implementing benefit reforms, the High Court has heard. The charity Child Poverty Action Group is challenging the legality of the national cap on housing allowance payments made to private rented sector tenants and a restriction preventing payments exceeding the cost of renting a four bedroom home. CPAG has asked for the measures, which came into effect in April, to be quashed by a court order. CPAG believes the four-bedroom rule has a disproportionate effect on black and minority ethnic families. It believes the DWP did not take the appropriate steps to gather enough information about the impact on BME families to inform its decision. CPAG believes DWP failed to have due regard to the general equality duties under the Race Relations Act. CPAG also argues that the caps to local housing allowance will increase homelessness in high rental market areas, contradicting the purpose of the benefit, which the charity is intended to be a national scheme. Read more on Inside Housing.

BME Tenants ‘Get a Raw Deal from Benefit Cuts’

Housing benefit cuts will disproportionately harm black and minority ethnic families, according to the first study to assess their impact on the BME community. The Race Equality Foundation said the cuts could damage community cohesion by forcing BME families from their homes and into new areas where housing is more affordable. It claimed BME communities will be more likely to suffer from the cuts because they often need larger homes due to family size and tend to live in areas targeted by the cuts such as London, where the disparity between rents and the benefit cap is particularly high. It pointed to Department for Work and Pensions research which estimated 30 per cent of households affected by capping local housing allowance payments to a maximum of four bedrooms included someone from a BME background. Download a copy of the report from the Race Equality Foundation website.