Voluntary Right To Buy Pilot Review: Doubts Raised Over One-For-One Replacement Of Homes Sold

Replacing social housing sold through the Midlands pilot of the Voluntary Right to Buy (VRTB) on a one-for-one basis will be “challenging”, an evaluation of the project has warned. Replacement homes will be on average smaller, at higher rents and include more homes for shared ownership and fewer for rent. If the policy was to be rolled out nationally, it is predicted that 32,000 homes would be sold off in the first year and 223,843 would be sold off in the first decade. The vast majority of the 1,892 homes sold through the pilot by the end of April last year were for social rent, but researchers estimated that just 27% of replacements will be for this tenure. Download the evaluation from the MHCLG website.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/958999/VRTB_Evaluation_v5_FINAL.pdf 

Housing First Pilots Interim Evaluation Report Published

The Housing First pilots were established following the commitment of £28million in the 2017 Autumn budget and operate across the Greater Manchester, Liverpool and West Midlands Combined Authority regional areas. The report confirms that as of September 2019 a total of 326 people had been recruited to these Housing First services, with a total of 105 people housed. There is a varied picture of housing across the three combined-authority areas, and although there has been a commitment from housing providers to support delivery, a significant challenge remains in securing suitable and affordable accommodation at scale, with particular concern around the availability of one-bedroom properties. Download the report from the GovUK website.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/946110/Housing_First_first_interim_process_report.pdf

Government Has ‘Not Evaluated’ The Impact Of Its Reforms On Homelessness

Government has not evaluated the impact of its welfare reforms on homelessness, or the impact of the mitigations that it has put in place, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). An NAO report says the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) does not have a published cross-government strategy to prevent and tackle homelessness – despite acknowledging the scale of the challenge and plans to improve the data the government holds on homelessness. Download the report from the NAO website.

Impact Of The Under-Occupation Deduction From Housing Benefit

This House of Commons Briefing Paper summarises some key findings arising from research into the impact of the under-occupation deduction from Housing Benefit (also referred to as the 'Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy' or 'bedroom tax'). This paper considers the findings of the DWP’s evaluation and other research into the impact of the under-occupation deduction. Download the Briefing Paper from the Parliament website.

Bedroom Tax: Three In Four Affected Have Cut Back On Food

Three-quarters of people affected by the bedroom tax say they have had to cut back on food, an independent evaluation published by the DWP has found. The research found that 46% said they had cut back on heating, 33% on travel and 42% on leisure. Among a control group of tenants unaffected by the bedroom tax, far fewer – 56% – said they were cutting back on food because of benefit changes. The study found landlords were very concerned that some tenants were “in severe poverty and unable to pay the shortfall”. The report said 78% of claimants who were still affected by the bedroom tax after two years of the policy were regularly running out of money by the end of the week or month. They tended to pay the rent by using up savings, borrowing from family or friends or accruing debt. Read more on the Guardian website.

Scheme To Check Immigration Status Of Renters Shows "Alarming" Impact On Homelessness

The government has announced that it will push ahead with plans requiring landlords to check the immigration status of renters following a Home Office evaluation of a pilot scheme. The evaluation shows that six of the local charities surveyed said people they represent had become homeless as a result of the scheme, while interviews with landlords found the ‘potential’ for discrimination. Seven of the charities reported that people who have the right to rent, but not the right documentation, were struggling to find accommodation. Responding to the evaluation, national homelessness charity, Crisis, raised grave concerns that the measures could leave people homeless and at risk of discrimination. Read more on the Crisis website.

Scheme Forcing Landlords to Check Tenants' Immigration Status 'Has Failed'

A scheme to fine landlords for renting homes to illegal immigrants has caught just seven people since it was launched in the Black Country. The government chose Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Dudley and Walsall, as well as neighbouring Birmingham, to pilot tougher rules on the right to rent, threatening them with £3,000 fines if they do not maintain strict checks. But since it was launched last December only seven people have been prosecuted and fined an average of £800 each. The Home Office said it was 'currently the subject of an evaluation which will be published in due course'. But a Freedom of Information Act request has revealed the current figures across the whole of the Black Country and Birmingham. Read more on the Express and Star website.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of universal credit recipients have been placed under alternative payment arrangements by social landlords with trusted partner status.

Justin Tomlinson: The detailed information requested is not currently available. The Trusted Partner test was undertaken over an 8 week period with six landlords. We are evaluating the findings of this test as part of our on-going test and learn approach to working with key stakeholders in delivering Universal Credit. This evaluation will include recommendations on any next steps and future plans.

Labour to Review Direct Universal Credit Payments

A Labour government would review the direct payment of benefit for housing cost to claimants as part of its evaluation of universal credit. The party last year said it would pause the rollout of universal credit and allow the National Audit Office to conduct a review of the policy, following IT problems and delays besetting the coalition’s flagship welfare reform. Labour has previously hinted that if elected, it could allow housing costs to be paid directly to landlords if tenant opt not to receive it direct. However in recent months it has been unclear what the party’s policy is on paying tenants their benefit for housing costs directly under universal credit. Read more on Inside Housing.

Housing: Construction – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Alan Campbell:  To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will estimate the net effect of New Homes Bonus allocations on council budgets in the 50 (a) most and (b) least deprived council areas.

Kris Hopkins: Figures for the aggregate funding given to each local authority can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/increasing-the-number-of-available-homes/supporting-pages/new-homes-bonus

We will be publishing a formal evaluation report on the New Homes Bonus in due course. [Edit]

Official: 16% of 'Universal Credit Renters' In Arrears after Three Months

Sixteen percent of universal credit (UC) claimants who rent a property found themselves in arrears after three months of claiming the new benefit, research has shown. The figure was revealed by the DWP in its universal credit 'Pathfinder Evaluation' report.  The report focuses on the UC claimant experience in the pathfinder areas where initial eligibility criteria has focused on single, unemployed, non-home owning claimants without any children.  At the three month stage, the report reveals that 16% of 'UC renters' were in arrears, reducing to 12% at six months.  Download the report from the DWP website.

Charities Struggle To Meet Rough Sleeping Reduction Targets

Charities have struggled to meet their rough sleeping reduction targets under a £5m payment by results scheme to tackle homelessness in London. The social impact bond (SIB), developed by the Greater London Authority and the CLG, works with 831 entrenched rough sleepers in the capital. Under the scheme, launched in 2012, homelessness charities are paid on outcomes such as reduced rough sleeping, sustained accommodation and less visits to hospital. The CLG’s evaluation of the scheme said charities had struggled to meet their quarterly reduction in rough sleeping targets. Download a copy of the evaluation from the CLG website.

Housing: New Homes Bonus- Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish his Department's review of the New Homes Bonus. 

Brandon Lewis: Officials are currently finalising the evaluation report before submitting it to Ministers. The findings of the evaluation will then be published in due course.

Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy: Interim Evaluation Report

As the post immediately below states, the DWP has issued an interim report presents early findings from the evaluation of the Bedroom Tax or as the Coalition call it the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS). The objectives of this project are to evaluate:

·        the preparation and implementation of the policy changes by local  authorities and social landlords

·        the extent of increased mobility within the social housing sector  leading to more effective use of the housing stock

·        the extent to which more people are in work, working increased hours  or earning increased incomes as a result of the RSRS

         the effects of the RSRS, and responses to it, of:

·        claimants

·        landlords

·        local authorities

·        voluntary and statutory organisations and advice services

·        funders lending to social landlords

Download the report from the DWP website.

Lies, Damn Lies and Failing DWP Bedroom Tax Reports

On the same day as the cabinet reshuffle the DWP released a 163-page interim report into the bedroom tax.  Unfortunately this deliberate burial of a report is the best that can be said for it as it really is that bad. It only records the first 5 months of the bedroom tax from April 2013 to August 2013 and so this report is already ELEVEN MONTHS OUT OF DATE. Let’s begin with the Executive Summary which starts on page 13.

This Interim Report presents early findings from the evaluation of the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS). A final report will be published in 2015.

We have already been told by Steve Webb, then a minister at DWP, that the final report will be published in Summer 2015, that is AFTER the next general election.  Hence this sham of a report is to be the ONLY coalition report on the bedroom tax in this parliament which you would not know from reading this cleverly worded sentence. Read more on the Speye blog.

Housing Benefit Reductions ‘Had Little Impact on Rents’ For Private Tenants

A package of cuts to Housing Benefit for about 900,000 tenants in the private rented sector has so far had little impact on average rents, but has affected the housing choices of some claimants, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found. These are among the findings of new IFS research, published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as part of the independent evaluation of the reforms, which were phased in during 2011 and 2012. The analysis looked at those claiming in January 2011 and followed them through to November 2013 – at least eleven months after their Housing Benefit was reduced. At that eleven - month point after being rolled onto the reformed system. Download the report from the DWP website.

Local Housing Allowance: Monitoring the Impact of Changes

Final reports evaluating the changes to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) system of Housing Benefit (HB) from April 2011 have been published by the DWP.  There is a summary report and 4 technical reports containing findings from a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research:

·         a follow-up survey and interviews with landlords and focus groups with housing and benefits advisers

·         an econometric analysis of administrative data on HB claims assessed under the LHA rules to estimate the impact of the changes on existing HB claimants assessed under those rules

·         a follow-up survey and interviews with affected claimants

·         an analysis of the impact of the LHA changes on HB claims at local authority district level between January 2010 and August 2013

Download the reports from the GovUK website.

Housing – Parliamentary Written Answer

Mr Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to publish the findings of the research he commissioned from the University of Sheffield into the New Homes Bonus.  

Kris Hopkins: The Department is undertaking a wider evaluation of the New Homes Bonus; its findings will be published in due course.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing – Parliamentary Written Answer

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the use of discretionary housing payment to deal with people affected by the under-occupancy penalty over the next two financial years; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The Department has commissioned an independent two year evaluation to monitor the effects of the removal of the spare room subsidy, including the use of discretionary housing payments. The final report will be published in 2015. In addition the Department is collating and publishing information about the use of discretionary housing payments by local authorities in Great Britain twice yearly. The information covering the period April 2013 to September 2013 was published on 20 December 2013 and can be accessed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-discretionary-housing-payments

Housing Benefit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the availability of shared accommodation for single people under 35 in receipt of the shared accommodation rate of housing benefit.  

Steve Webb: No assessment has been made of the availability of shared accommodation for single people under 35. However the Department has commissioned a major independent evaluation of the changes to local housing allowance, including the impacts on single people under 35. The interim report was published last year and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monitoring-the-impact-of-changes-to-the-local-housing-allowance-system-of-housing-benefit-interim-report-rr-838

The final report from the evaluation is due to be published in the summer.