POLICY DEVELOPMENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE UK
UK
Direct payment pilots extended by six months
The Department for Work and Pensions has extended the universal credit direct payment demonstration projects until the end of the year.
Welfare reform minister Lord Freud said the extension would help to further develop the support needed for social housing tenants moving on to universal credit.
The DWP also published the latest findings from the projects, which it said showed a rise in the rent collection rate to an average of 94 per cent.
Lord Freud said: ‘Direct payments will allow claimants to manage their money far more effectively and create a much smoother transition into work.
‘The demonstration projects show the majority of claimants are managing their own rent – even through Christmas when budgets can be tight. But we have always been clear that there needs to be protection for both tenants and landlords if people build up arrears and to target help at those people who should not be placed on direct payments. The projects are helping us to develop and set this protection and that is why we are extending them for six months.’
Latest figures from the six projects show that 6,168 tenants received direct payments, the total rent charged stood at £19.2 million and levels of rent payment rates varied from 91 per cent to 97 per cent.
England
Council house sales double
Right to buy sales more than doubled last year in the wake of the English government’s decision to increase the cap on discounts.
The reinvigorated right to buy launched in April 2012 increased the maximum discount to up to £75,000 off the value of a home and up to £100,000 in London.
A total of 5,942 homes were sold between April 2012 and April 2013, with 2,449 of the sales coming in the final three months. That was more than four times the 566 sold in January to March 2012.
Housing minister Mark Prisk predicted that sales could increase even further this year in response to the higher discounts, an awareness campaign among tenants and moves to make more of them eligible.
Under the current system tenants have to have lived in their council property for at least five years to be eligible for the right to buy but measures announced in the Queen’s Speech would reduce that to three years.
Mark Prisk said: ‘I’m delighted that so many tenants are choosing to seize the opportunity to get on the property ladder through the reinvigorated right to buy. As a government we are determined to ensure that whoever you are – whether a prospective first time buyer, an existing homeowner or a social tenant – if you work hard and want to get on, we will support you to move up the property ladder.’
Scotland
Affordable housing scheme extended
The Scottish Government has launched another round of its National Housing Trust (NHT) initiative that allows developers and councils to jointly fund the purchase of new homes.
Local authority loans to the initiative are underwritten by the Scottish Government and over 1,000 new affordable homes have been delivered across Scotland so far.
Homes are available for rent at below market rates for five to 10 years before being sold, with tenants given priority to buy at the end of the rental period.
Some 13 developers across 10 council areas are already participating in the initiative, and hundreds of households are already living in their new homes. Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Fife councils are participating in the latest procurement round.
Housing minister Margaret Burgess said: \’Despite Westminster’s drastic cuts to our capital budget the Scottish Government remains committed to doing everything it can to stimulate growth and deliver more high quality affordable homes for people across Scotland. I would urge house builders to embrace the opportunities offered through this latest procurement round.’
Councillor Cammy Day, housing leader for The City of Edinburgh Council said: ‘We are committed to providing high quality, affordable homes and are always looking at new and innovative ways of increasing the number available in Edinburgh due to the high demand. The NHT model has really taken off in the capital with 422 homes being built, half of which have already been completed.’
Northern Ireland
Affordable homes target on track
A total of 2,336 new starts of affordable homes were delivered in Northern Ireland in 2012, keeping the Programme for Government target on track and raising an overall investment of £197 million.
Cameron Watt, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations, said: ‘These figures are further demonstration that in these tough times, housing associations are delivering for Northern Ireland. We congratulate our members, the Department for Social Development and the Housing Executive for this collective success.’
Minister for social development Nelson McCausland said: ‘The Northern Ireland Executive has a target to deliver 8,000 new social and affordable homes by 2015. Now halfway through this period, a total of 4,389 new homes have been built. I am pleased that we have managed to do what we set out to do and more.
‘These newly built homes continue to help the beleaguered building industry. Estimates say that every one million pounds invested in housing supports 12 jobs – seven directly and five indirectly. Based on the £197 million invested, that equates to around 2,400 jobs created or sustained.’
PUBLICATIONS
10 TO LOOK OUT FOR
1- Social hearted, community minded: a report on tomorrow’s housing associations – Smith Institute, April 2013 www.smith-institute.org.uk
2- Monitoring the impact of changes to the local housing allowance system of housing benefit: interim report – Department for Work and Pensions, May 2013 research.dwp.gov.uk
3- Cap in hand? The impact of welfare reform on disabled people in Wales – Bevan Foundation, April 2013 www.bevanfoundation.org
4- Designing homes for the 21st century – NHBC Foundation, May 2013 www.nhbcfoundation.org
5- Housing with care matters – Housing Learning and Improvement Network newsletter, May 2013 www.housinglin.org.uk
6- Bedroom tax snapshot – best and worst of landlord and local authority practice as experienced through our casework – Shelter Cymru, May 2013 www.sheltercymru.org.uk
7- Build local – Placeshapers, May 2013 www.placeshapers.org
8- The Strategy for Older People in Wales 2013-2013 (phase 3) – Welsh Government, May 2013 wales.gov.uk
9- HouseMark welfare reform club benchmarking report – HouseMark, May 2013 www.housemark.co.uk
10- In Land Revenue – the case for a land value tax in the uK – Class, May 2013
classonline.org.uk
WELSH GOVERNMENT
Cabinet reshuffle sees ministerial changes
A Cabinet reshuffle in March saw some major changes of personnel and responsibilities in the key portfolios affecting housing and regeneration.
- Huw Lewis moved from housing, regeneration and heritage to take up a new post as minister for communities and tackling poverty.
- Carl Sargeant, previously local government minister, took over as minister for housing and regeneration, also with responsibility for planning.
- Lesley Griffiths moved from health to become minister for local government and government business.
- Mark Drakeford joined the Cabinet as minister for health and social services with Gwenda Thomas becoming deputy minister for social services.
See Carl Sargeant interview, p6-8
Extra £30m for new homes and empties
Finance minister Jane Hutt announced £76.5 million of extra funding for housing, schools, flood protection and transport.
Some £30 million of the new money is earmarked for increasing housing supply, made up of:
- An additional £20 million for social housing grant specifically to target investment in homes for people adversely affected by the UK Government’s cuts in housing benefit
- £10 million to expand the Houses into Homes initiative to bring empty homes in Wales back into use.
Housing and regeneration minister Carl Sargeant said the social housing grant would help mitigate the need for smaller one and two bed properties in the wake of welfare reform while the Houses into Homes money would bring around 500 more empties back into use in this Assembly term.
He said: ‘As well as increasing the supply of housing in Wales, this funding will bring wider socio-economic benefits by providing employment for local builders and restoring confidence in previously run-down communities. In these difficult economic times it is essential that we make the most of capital investment, not only for better housing outcomes, but for the continued support of our construction industry and the growth of our economy.’
Extra funding for advice services
The Welsh Government has offered £1.8 million of extra money to not-for-profit advice agencies to help them adapt to increased demand for their services as they face cuts in funding.
The move follows publication of a review into the sector, which provides advice on issues such as debt, housing, employment and benefits.
Organisations like Citizens Advice, Shelter Cymru and Consumer Focus Wales provide the advice services but are expected to lose around £3.4 million of funding from various sources over the next 18 months and the equivalent of 50 full-time jobs.
Ministers commissioned the review due the unprecedented pressures they are facing due to a combination of the cuts and rising demand for their services. The review highlighted the need to remove duplication of services and bureaucratic burden and ensure that services are targeted where need is greatest.
Communities and tackling poverty minister Huw Lewis said: ‘The Welsh Government will not be able to take on the burden of funding all services, but I want to make sure people do not fall through the cracks given the changes. Organisations and volunteers across the country work tirelessly to help some of the most vulnerable in our society, but free advice services will have to change. Firstly to justify continued taxpayer support and secondly to make sure people who need help can get it. This will be a difficult process but the sector’s track record shows they can do it.’
The final research report of the Advice Services Review is available at wales.gov.uk
Guidance for regeneration framework
Carl Sargeant has published guidance for applicants seeking a share of up to £90 million that will be available over the next three years from the Welsh Government’s new regeneration framework, Vibrant and Viable Places. The framework includes a range of activities to reverse economic, social and physical decline in town centres, coastal communities and Communities First clusters.
The housing and regeneration minister said: ‘I plan to target schemes that make best use of the wide array of possible funding sources. It is important that funding applicants understand that I will only invest where I believe we can have maximum impact.
‘The guidance I have published today sets out how the budget will be allocated and how applicants should apply. Although funding will not be allocated until all bids have been assessed, I expect our investment to be targeted on a small number of areas.’
The guidance is available at wales.gov.uk
Commission will examine public services
First minister Carwyn Jones has set out the purpose and remit of a new Commission that will review Wales’s public services.
The Commision on Public Service Governance and Delivery will:
- assess current arrangements for delivery and their capacity to
meet current and future challenges - put forward alternatives in the light of that assessment
- engage widely across Wales including with those who use public
services and those who provide and manage them
Carwyn Jones said: ‘We need a solution which works for Wales and meets the needs of our citizens and communities. This is an opportunity to build better, more efficient and more accountable public services for Wales, I hope we can all work together to support that.’
More information available at new.wales.gov.uk
Consultation papers
Renting Homes white paper
Consultation has begun on the Welsh Government’s groundbreaking plans for legislation to reform arrangements for renting homes.
The Renting Homes white paper published in May delivers on the commitment to bring forward based on proposals developed by the Law Commission which attracted considerable support during last year’s pubic consultation on the programme of action for housing.
The white paper proposes replacing the current complex system of different forms of tenancy with just two: a secure contract, based on the current secure tenancy issued by local authorities; and a standard contract modeled on the assured shorthold tenancy used mainly in the private rented sector. The consultation runs until August 16.
For more on the white paper, see p32-34, or go to new.wales.gov.uk
A number of other consultation papers will be of interest to WHQ readers:
- Continuity and change – refreshing the relationship between Welsh Government and the third sector in Wales. Responses by August 8
- Building Control system and Approved Document supporting regulation 7. Responses by June 21
- Implementing the Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011. Responses by June 17
Welsh Government consultation papers are available online at new.wales.gov.uk
WALES
Empty Homes Wales launches website
A new initiative to bring the estimated 26,000 empties in Wales back into use now has its own website.
Empty Homes Wales won the backing of Welsh Government ministers and the campaigner and broadcaster George Clarke at the TAI conference
in March. Driven by housing association United Welsh, the initiative has Michala Rudman as a dedicated empty homes project officer to advise homeowners, liaise with the Welsh Government on loan schemes and work directly with local authority partners on back into use has followed up.
This partnership approach led to the launch of emptyhomeswales.co.uk in May to bring together information, advice and advocates for bringing empties back into use. Owners can get information and help to tackle their empty property and find finance packages, discounts and offers. It also provides an anonymous easy way to report empty properties, and partners can link up in order to best tackle this ever increasing issue.
Living the IDS £53 a week challenge
Cantref Housing Association chief executive Lynne Sacale went where Iain Duncan Smith feared to tread when she spent Rural Housing Week trying to live on £53 a week to highlight the impact of welfare reform. The UK work and pensions secretary had claimed live on radio he could live on the sum but has so far failed to respond to a petition signed by almost 500,000 people urging him to do so.
Lynne Sacale kept a video diary of the week with each of the five days themed to highlight issues such as budgeting, home running costs, housing options and training and got the views of local partner organisations including the local authority, advice agencies and food bank as well as local politicians.
You can watch the diary on youtube starting from Day 1 at
http://youtube
New platform for money advice web content
The partnerships team at Money Advice Service is keen to work with local government, housing associations, charities and any other organisations to help people manage their money better. It has recently launched a new platform to allow partners to integrate the tools, content and videos from its site onto theirs while keeping its look and feel. It can also provide bilingual content.
The aim is to provide a significantly better experience for your customers, keeping them on the site and getting the help they need. Content is automatically kept up to date by the Money Advice Service, which is an independent organisation set up by government and funded by a levy on the financial services industry.
Check out www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk to see what tools, article, videos etc. are available or email partners@moneyadviceservice.org.uk
Easter return for flood victims
Clwyd Alyn Housing Association tenants who were flooded out of their homes in November were able to move back in over Easter after extensive renovation work.
Jacqueline Hennigan (pictured, right, with Clwyd Alyn housing officer Rebecca Halton) was one of 22 tenants in Llys Esgob Morgan, St Asaph who were forced to move. While those living in top floor-properties were able to move back within 48 hours, the 11 ground floor flats were completely engulfed and needed extensive work carried out by the housing association’s in-house maintenance company.
‘It’s very good to be back here again,’ she said. ‘I was able to save quite a lot of my personal things and I’ve dried out some of my photographs. I think it will take a while to settle in and to feel homely. It’s good to be back near my neighbours again.’
Job club claims first successes
A weekly job club run by Bron Afon has had its first successes at getting people into work. It is based at Bron Afon’s office in Cwmbran every Wednesday from 1pm-3pm.
Free advice is available on CV writing, online job searches, completing application forms, finding work and volunteering opportunities.
Rachel Knight, volunteer coordinator, said: ‘Within the last six weeks, six people have got jobs and two people have taken on volunteer placements with Bron Afon. We offer a relaxed atmosphere for people of all ages to come together and support each other while looking for work, training or volunteer opportunities.’
Funding boost for vulnerable young parents
A new project to help vulnerable young parents in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan has been awarded almost £1 million (£999,889 over five years) by the Big Lottery’s Bright New Futures programme.
Taff Housing Association’s Shine project will support 190 young parents aged 16-25 in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Elaine Ballard, chief executive of Taff, said: ‘The project will provide a practical, person-centred approach with individual, hands-on help, group sessions, drop-ins, peer support and fun activities which will help develop their parenting skills, confidence and build families who can really thrive and shine.’
Highlighting the need for the project, Mark Sheridan, director of support services, said: ‘We are delighted to have been awarded this important funding from the Big Lottery. This will enable us to go out into the community and provide practical support for those who need it the most. We are talking about very young parents who are dealing with all the issues of homelessness in addition to the challenges that come with a new child. It can be a stressful time all round.’