Members Rallied To Contact MPs As Evictions Ban Extended

The extension of the evictions ban will have devastating consequences for some landlords, with the NRLA encouraging those affected  to write to their MPs to make sure their voices are heard. Landlords could face serious financial hardship or end up stuck with anti-social tenants for months on end as a result of the extension and the association wants them to share their experiences to make sure they have their say when it comes to agreeing a new possessions process. Read more on the RLA website.

https://news.rla.org.uk/members-rallied-to-contact-mps-as-evictions-ban-extended/

Hardship Payments Available Immediately To Homeless JSA Claimants

From October 2017, Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) claimants who are homeless will have immediate access to hardship payments if their benefit is reduced because of a sanction. Universal Credit claimants who are homeless and have received a sanction already have immediate access to hardship payments. However, JSA claimants currently have to wait two weeks. The regulations will cover eligible claimants who are homeless, suffering from a mental impairment, including a mental health condition, and their partners. People who are pregnant, lone parents, and people with long term physical health conditions can already access hardship payments immediately. Read more on Homeless Link.

Renters In UK Worse Off In Terms Of Financial Planning

Millions of people in the UK who rent their homes from private landlords are putting themselves and their families at risk of eviction and financial hardship, it is claimed. Many do not have a financial back-up plan and 30% of private renters admit they would not be financially secure if the main household income was lost. Just 16% have life cover in place and only 3% have critical illness insurance despite more than half, 56%, having children under the age of 16 who rely on them financially. The research also found that 35% concede that if they or their partner were unable to work for six months or longer due to ill health or personal injury, they’d be unable to live on a single income. Read more on Property Wire.

Increase In Property Companies In 'Financial Distress' As Housing Market Slows To A Crawl

Almost one in five companies in the British property industry are in financial distress after a year in which it was hit with slowing market activity as a result of changes to stamp duty an uncertainty surrounding the referendum. More than 25,000 companies in the industry – equivalent to 18.3pc of real estate companies including property managers, residential landlords and lettings agents – are in this state, according to research from Begbies Traynor, the insolvency specialists. The number is some 6.6pc higher than at the same time last year. Read more on the Daily Telegraph website.

Social Housing Tenants Forced To Cut Back On Food And Heating

A damning new survey of ‘Quids in!’ readers reveals ongoing financial hardship among social housing tenants, as money worries leave some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society “hungry and cold”. The survey provides a snapshot into how Tory austerity has impacted on social housing tenants  over the last five years. It found that among working age tenants not in full-time employment, 44% skipped meals over the last year, while more than half (51%) were forced to turn off heating despite feeling cold. The survey also shows how money worries can have a detrimental impact on health and well-being, with 58% of those surveyed feeling frightened, anxious or depressed. Read more on Welfare Weekly.

Universal Credit - Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long it takes for the average claimant to receive a first payment of universal credit from the time they became unemployed in those areas where universal credit has been introduced.

Priti Patel: Universal Credit entitlement is assessed and paid in arrears. Payment is made on a fixed date 7 days after the end of the monthly assessment period. Where a claimant’s earnings or income is insufficient to meet their living costs and in order to safeguard against financial hardship before the first UC payment, an advance payment of up to 50% of their UC award may be made. Personal Budgeting Support advice is also available to all claimants.

Suffering Tenants Clueless About Financial Help

Over two thirds of social housing tenants suffering financial hardship are in the dark about the support available to them through charitable grants, new research has shown.  Charity Turn2us found that 69% of its users living in social housing were completely unaware of charitable grants, while 38% had been struggling financially for over a year before checking what support could be available to them. And as a result of their situation, 71% have been forced to cut back on food and heating, and 68% had to rely on the financial support of family and friends. Read more on the Turn2us website.