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Housing and Welfare Reforms: Issues for ALMOs. Steve Wilcox University of York. Housing and welfare reforms: Issues for ALMOs. Housing Benefit Reforms The Maximum Benefit Cap Universal Credits. The Housing benefit reforms. Private sector reforms Caps & lower LHA rates
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Housing and Welfare Reforms:Issues for ALMOs Steve Wilcox University of York
Housing and welfare reforms: Issues for ALMOs • Housing Benefit Reforms • The Maximum Benefit Cap • Universal Credits
The Housing benefit reforms • Private sector reforms • Caps & lower LHA rates • CPI Indexation (& definition) • Increased non dependent deductions • Social sector size limits • Additional bedroom for carers • Discretionary Housing Payments increase
Caps and Lower LHA Rates • Maximum National Caps • Maximum 4 Bed Rate • 30th Percentile Rates (5/8% below median) • Removing £15 excess provisions • Increased pressure on social sector
The Maximum Benefit Cap • Based on national average earnings • Applies to all tenures • Only applies to out of work households • Doesn’t apply to disabled or retired • Impact on large families in high rent areas • Likely to be some modifications?
Universal Credits I • Major Structural Simplification • Based on Dynamic Benefits • Single Integrated Taper • Aims to promote work incentives • Higher initial costs • Long term savings from work impacts ?
Universal Credits II • Transitional protection • Future ‘gainers’ and ‘losers’ • Integrated ‘real time’ weekly adjustments • Challenging IT and Admin Reforms • Limited lone parent allowances • Help with housing costs reconfigured
Universal Credits:Help with housing costs • High earnings disregard • But reduced if help with housing costs • Mortgage costs included (?) • Council tax benefit excluded (?) • Many in work claimants better off • But complexity will dilute message
Marginal deductions from gross earnings:Current system and universal credit
The Earnings Disregard Formula • Earnings disregard for tenants = • Higher earnings disregard • Rent times 1.5 • Subject to lower earnings disregard floor • But no disregard for a single person
The current benefit poverty trap Couple with two children. £80 pw rent. 2010/11 Rates Under £180 pw less than 30 hours
The structure of universal credits Couple with two children. £80 pw rent.
Net impact of systems compared Couple + 2 children. Rent £80. Council Tax £15. £5.93 per hour earnings.
Universal Credit Issues • Risks & intermediate rents • The national cap & work • Complexity of earnings disregards • The direct payment issue(s) • The monthly payment norm • Provisions for mortgage costs? • Council tax benefit?