Brexit To Have Minimal Impact On Buy-To-Let Market

As the government prepares to invoke Article 50 to leave the EU, very few experts forecast that Brexit will have an adverse effect on the buy-to-let market – despite some fears of a mass exodus of EU citizens from the UK. David Whittaker, CEO, Mortgages for Business, is among those that does not see a direct link between migration and Brexit, and believes that landlords should not be concerned. He said: “I don't see it as a causational factor for landlords to feel more bearish than they do already.” Also participating in the discussion Professor David Miles CBE commented: “I rather doubt Brexit will pose a threat - I don't believe there'll be a compelled exodus of EU citizens.” Read more on the Landlord Today website.

Curb On EU Workers 'Will Cut New Homes By Half'

One of the country’s largest housebuilders has warned that cutting off the supply of EU workers to Britain’s building sites could halve the number of homes being built. The warning adds to fears that curbing migration as part of Brexit plans could worsen Britain’s already chronic housing crisis and blow a hole in the last Government’s ambitions to build one million houses in the next five years.

Rob Perrins, chief executive of housebuilder Berkeley Group, said: ‘Half the workers who build Britain’s homes are European nationals. So if we get migration wrong, costs will go up and we’ll probably deliver half as many homes. The debate about work permits is one of the single most important issues during the negotiations to leave.’ Read more on the Daily Mail website.

England’s Population Is Moving To The South

England’s population is shifting further south, according to the latest official population projections. The overall population is growing fast, and growing almost everywhere – but the growth is disproportionately in London and the South East. The Office for National Statistics “Sub-national Population Projections” (SNPP) are the first local breakdown of the official 2014 projection for England’s growth. Today’s new figures – and the household projections that will later be based on them – are hugely important for planning. They frame the debate on where we need to build more homes, and will eventually feed through to the housing targets set in local plans. The last breakdown, two years ago, projected growth almost everywhere, but disproportionately in the South East. These latest projections confirm this trend.  Read more on the City Metric website.

Five Things to Offset the Impact of Universal Credit

Housing professionals are working proactively to counteract the changes brought about by universal credit before migration moves tenants onto the benefit. The CIH have identified five top tips based on these experiences.

1.       Speak to possible universal credit claimants at the right time

2.       Help tenants to build up savings or get rent accounts into credit

3.       Identify who will win and lose from a move onto universal credit

4.       Run a direct payment pilot or programme with your local council

5.       Upgrade IT systems to improve efficiency and knowledge

Read more on the CIH website.

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)

Shameful Cost of Uprooting Families

The reckless forced migration of tenants out of London, to who knows where, creates costs for the taxpayer and to the wider economy that the Treasury never estimates.  Educational under-achievement has been shown to be more likely as a result of the destabilisation of children's lives. Deliberate overcrowding to make the rent fit the caps is also likely to lead to more aggressive behaviour both in the classroom and on the streets as young people compete for space and lose some elements of parental and kinship control. Children losing local circles of friends and adjusting to new schools also disrupts educational progress. The housing benefit caps create unmanageable rent arrears. The stress of the parents in debt is known to affect the children. Debt is related to mental illness, which the Centre for Mental Health has shown is the most expensive illness for the NHS, the economy and in human misery.  The lack of any coherent housing policy for the past 40 years means the demand for affordable housing far outstrips the supply; no affordable homes were planned for the new homeless. They face a life of impoverished uncertainty of which Parliament should be ashamed.  Read more on the Independent website.