Social Rented Housing: Landlords – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress his Department has made in sharing data with registered social landlords.

Steve Webb: The Social Security (Information-sharing in relation to Welfare Services etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I.2015/46) were laid on 23 January 2015 and come into force on 13 February 2015. Commencing on 16 February 2015, registered social landlords, local authorities and arms length management organisations will be notified when one of their tenants

makes an application for Universal Credit, or when a person already receiving Universal Credit becomes a tenant of theirs. The data shared will be limited to that required by the landlord to identify the tenant and enable them to confirm that Universal Credit has been claimed. This will enable the landlord, at the earliest possible opportunity, to decide whether they wish to offer, or refer the claimant to, additional welfare support.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what processes his Department has agreed to enable housing associations to be informed when tenants migrate to universal credit. 

Steve Webb: Universal credit is currently only available for new claims. Migration will be part of the future delivery plans which were announced in the written ministerial statement made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. The Department recognises the advantages of data sharing to help both landlords and the Department deliver their objectives and this will be considered as part of our overall test and learn approach. (Extract)

Councils Need More Powers to Tackle Tenancy Fraud

In May, housing tenancy fraud will become a criminal offence, carrying a two-year prison sentence and a £50,000 fine.  The most recent estimates suggest that up to 98,000 homes are being let to people who either lied about their circumstances to jump the queue or are sub-letting their council house and pocketing the profits. But how much will the new legislation actually help councils to crack down on this abhorrent behaviour?  Restricted access to data held by utility companies, building societies, lettings agents and organisations like the TV Licensing Authority makes it difficult for council fraud teams to identify fraud or prioritise cases to have the maximum impact. Without the legal tools to request information, councils must rely on tenancy inspections and tip-offs from neighbours. Unfortunately, the new legislation on housing tenancy fraud doesn't include the necessary regulations to make data sharing mandatory. Read more on the Guardian website.