NHF Unveils Tenant Advisory Panel

The National Housing Federation (NHF) has unveiled its new Tenant Advisory Panel, said to continue to guide and shape the group’s ‘Together With Tenants’ work. Together with the Centre for Public Scrutiny, an independent charity specialising in governance, the panel will advise, support and challenge the ongoing development of the Together With Tenants work, with a range of insights and experiences. The panel will also assess how the elements of the offer have been implemented at a sector level by examining evidence and information, making evidence-based recommendations to the Federation. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/nhf-unveil-tenant-advisory-panel/

Universal Credit Scheme Rolls Out

The government's flagship welfare reform - Universal Credit - is starting the next phase of its national launch but far more slowly than intended.  A more ambitious roll-out was supposed to have begun this month. But the process suffered management and computer problems and Labour has described it "total chaos". Six additional councils were supposed to sign up from October 28th - but only Hammersmith and Fulham was ready to launch. The others - Rugby, Inverness, Harrogate, Bath and Shotton - will join the scheme by the spring of next year. Read more on the BBC website.

Cameron Brings Forward Help to Buy

A controversial scheme allowing people across the UK to take out 95% mortgages will be launched next week - three months earlier than planned. PM David Cameron made the announcement as the Conservatives gathered in Manchester for their annual conference. He told the BBC's Andrew Marr show the market was "recovering from a very low base" and first-time buyers needed help to get on the housing ladder. "As prime minister I am not going to stand by while people's aspirations to get on the housing ladder are being trashed." He rejected concerns - raised by Business Secretary Vince Cable among others - of an unsustainable boom in house prices, particularly in the south-east of England. Read more on the BBC website.

Universal Credit Project Riddled With Problems

The National Audit Office said universal credit, the £2.4bn project meant to consolidate six welfare payments into one, has been beset by "weak management, ineffective control and poor governance".  Ministers have already written off £34m wasted on failed IT programmes for the project run by the Department for Work and Pensions and may be forced to delay its national launch beyond 2017, the NAO says.  The report was seized upon by Labour as evidence that Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, has covered up significant problems that could put welfare claimants and their families at risk. Liam Byrne, the shadow work and pension secretary, described universal credit as a "Titanic-sized IT disaster". Download a copy of the report from the NAO website.