The Government Has Left Older People's Sheltered Housing In Limbo

Anxiety around the government’s proposal to cap housing benefit for tenants in sheltered housing has been growing ever since it was mooted, almost a year ago. The announcement on 15 September by the work and pensions secretary Damian Green did nothing to quell those fears. Indeed, older people and providers of specialist housing are now faced with an even longer period of uncertainty. Possibly the most shocking thing about the lengthy statement is the fact that it managed to omit any mention at all of older people. Read the full statement on the Parliament website.

Supported Housing: Sector Warns Of Uncertain Future

Housing bodies and charities have warned of an uncertain future for supported housing, following the government’s announcement of a funding plan. David Orr, chief executive of the NHF, led the warnings – saying he is “not confident” in the new system which will see funds passed to councils. Mencap and St Mungo’s also reacted cautiously to the plans. The sector had been campaigning to change the government’s policy to restrict housing benefit in supported housing to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates available to private tenants. Damian Green, the work and pensions secretary, announced the government will press ahead with applying the rates, however it will distribute a ‘top-up’ fund to local authorities.  Read more on Inside Housing.

A Low Score For Universal Credit

Universal credit, which amalgamates six welfare benefits, still has cross-party support, despite being beset by delays and fears that it will fail to meet its main objective of encouraging people to work The most ambitious welfare reform for decades was bound to take a while to get right. But did the introduction of universal credit really need to take this long? By the time it is rolled out in job centres across the country over the next 18 months, UC will already have been more than five years in the making. The latest estimate is that some claimants will not switch to UC until 2022. The most recent delay was announced in July by Damian Green, the new work and pensions secretary, and the third person to hold the post this year. Read more on the Public Finance website.

Universal Credit Delays Forcing People To Food Banks

Huge built-in delays in the processing of universal credit benefit claims have turned the government’s flagship welfare reform into a “recruiting sergeant for food banks”, according to Labour MP Frank Field. Field, the chair of the Commons work and pensions select committee, said the minimum six-week payment period faced by new UC claimants led to reliance on emergency food parcels, triggered debt and rent arrears, and caused health problems. Field has written to the work and pensions secretary, Damian Green, asking him to cut the lengthy and stressful wait for payments faced by penniless claimants. Read more on the Guardian website.

With Supported Housing In Limbo, Vulnerable People Face Homelessness

Vulnerable people who rely on supported housing to provide a home and extra support face a summer of uncertainty.  The government has recently completed a review of supported housing and the new work and pensions secretary, Damian Green, has said he will make an announcement in the early autumn. The government previously announced plans to bring housing benefit for social tenants in line with the local housing allowance (LHA) from 2018. LHA rates for a shared room or one bed flat are well below the actual housing costs in most of St Mungo’s supported housing services. The government has failed to clarify whether specialist supported housing will be hit by the cap, but delays to this decision leave people at risk of homelessness.  Read more on the Guardian website.

Supported Housing Announcement In Autumn

Vulnerable people living in social housing will know if they are to be included in benefit cuts later this year. The new DWP minister, Damian Green, has told MPs there will be an announcement on supported housing in the Autumn. Lord Freud was brought in by the previous government team to review the issue after heavy lobbying by the housing sector and charities.  The issue was brought up in an opposition debate on 'reductions in housing benefit for people in supported housing'. Read more on 24dash.

Universal Credit Roll-Out Delayed For A Further Year

New Work and Pensions Secretary, Damien Green MP, has announced a further one year delay in the roll-out of Universal Credit, meaning the full roll-out of the flagship benefit is FIVE years behind schedule and will not be completed until March 2022 at the earliest. In a written statement to MPs, Mr Green said the decision had been taken due to changes in policy to tax credits and Universal Credit announced in the 2015 Summer Budget, including limiting child tax credit to two children. Read more on the Welfare Weekly website.