Transcript Slide 1
Update on welfare reform activities Sue Sutton/Sian Grant 10th December 2012 The impact Under occupancy • Around 1700 working age tenants on HB under occupying properties (excludes PFI) • £1.2 million a year removed from Salix Homes customers which they will have to pay in rent from April 2013 The impact Universal Credit • Currently 70% of rental income is paid directly in form of housing benefit = £26,833,873 million a year • Around 4500 working age tenants who will move onto Universal Credit from Oct 2013 onwards • Around £18 million in rent will be paid directly to these tenants once Universal Credit is fully implemented. What actions are we taking? Under occupancy • Visiting all customers who are under occupying by the end of January – Raising awareness – Going through options – Collecting information • Those who are most vulnerable and require more support will be referred to our Customer Support Team What actions are we taking? Under occupancy • Options for customers – Stay and pay – Downsizing – Taking a lodger – Use of DHP (adapted properties, foster families, close to retirement) – Money advice and budgeting support – Move to alternative accommodation - PRS What actions are we taking? Under occupancy • Policy and internal changes – Pre tenancy support and assessment – Affordability checks – Information on Salford Home Search – Downsizing incentives – Additional resource within the Income Management Team – PFI Consortium – workshops/re-housing What actions are we taking? Universal Credit • Policy changes – Allocations and lettings • Pre tenancy assessment and support • Affordability checks • Improved customer intelligence – Income management • • • • more and earlier personal contact earlier intervention and support tougher approach to those that won’t pay increased range of payment mechanisms What actions are we taking? Universal Credit – Structure review and reviewing resource levels • Whole organisation approach to income collection and arrears • Review level of resources to address increased level of demand and increased level of intervention • Potential impact on other service areas? What actions are we taking? Universal Credit • Increased support for customers – Fuel bills and energy efficiency – Work with credit union – budgeting accounts – Increased Money Advice and Benefits Advice – Links to other support providers – e.g. Mustard Tree – Financial skills training – Workshops – regeneration/re-housing Customer feedback • Initial findings of the pilot visits; – Most customer had heard of forthcoming changes but had not given it much thought – Most customer aware it was a government change and not implemented by Salix – 28% of customers contacted are not under occupying due to changes in circumstances – Majority of customers do not want to move and would prefer to live independently rather than to take a lodger. Home was the family home. Customer feedback • Initial findings of the pilot visits cont.; – The visits were carried out during the day and a high proportion of tenants were not at home – we will look to do evening and weekend visits for main campaign – A small number would consider a move to a smaller property if financial assistance for the move was provided by Salix – Those who did not want to move said they would manage the increased costs through amending budgets, savings or financial support from family Customer feedback • Initial findings of the pilot visits cont.; – But most people had no leeway with budgets and were living day to day with income fully committed – Limited interest in support with money management and budgeting – Very few admitted to using door step lenders and stated that they knew the rates were extortionate. – Majority of customers have a bank accounts but would prefer to pay by card rather than direct debit if given a choice. Any questions?