9th
Mar 2015
The National Federation of ALMOs (arm’s length management organisations) has just made available a best-practice briefing titled, 'Ready or Not – Preparing for the National Rollout of Universal Credit'.
PIMS does not normally feature stories on the Social Housing sector, however read on as this relevant to all of us.
The NFA, is made up of 47 member organisations and in total have the responsibility to manage more than 650,000 council homes throughout England. Its manifesto demands that all parties, whoever gets into power, must pay landlords direct or at least give their tenants the opportunity to “allow them to make that decision if it is the best way for them to ensure their rent is paid and their home secured.”
Universal Credit's rollout has been dramatically increased and the majority of people claiming benefits, will be workers and parents who will outstrip jobseekers by at least 4:1.
NFA chair Sue Roberts said: “We are renewing the calls outlined in our manifesto to ask for tenant choice for direct payments and extra resources to help support tenants with the changes Universal Credit will bring. As tenants are at the heart of all ALMO activity, it is vital we ensure there are systems in place at all levels to ensure minimum disruption during these changes and to continue to support tenants with finance, housing and welfare advice as we have been doing.”
Richard Merrick of PIMS says: "There are increasing numbers of calls for Social Housing Landlords to be paid directly by the government, rather than leaving it to the 'benefits' tenants. Questions have to be asked why if it is allowed, why should it be for just Social landlords, as they are after all separate bodies and not for profit organisations, charities whose employees get paid very well indeed ?
" Why shouldn't private landlords be considered in the same way, as I have said before although Northern Ireland has not yet implemented Universal Credit, they have brokered an agreement with Westminster that all landlords will be paid directly, why can't English PRS landlords be treated in the same way ?
"We at PIMS understand the government's aims to cut down the costs by switching to one monthly payment, after all the majority of the working population receive monthly pay checks. All we are asking the government to consider, is to cut down the amount of payments to two rather than just the one. Have they truly calculated the impact on how much it will cost in court times and costs, it is being reported that courts are being overrun with evictions ? What is going to happen in Scotland as I am sure that after the election, they will also push for direct payments to landlords ?"
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