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Update on welfare reform activities Sue Sutton/Sian Grant 10 th December 2012

Update on welfare reform activities Sue Sutton/Sian Grant 10 th 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.

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Update on welfare reform activities Sue Sutton/Sian Grant 10 th December 2012

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  1. Update on welfare reform activitiesSue Sutton/Sian Grant10th December 2012

  2. 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

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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?

  9. 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

  10. 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.

  11. 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

  12. 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.

  13. Any questions?

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