Accessible Housing and Welfare ReformShayne Hembrow

Welfare reform - context

• Fundamental change to the culture of welfare benefit receipt

• No distinction – everyone treated the same

Bedroom Tax/Spare room subsidy

• Calculation of HB for social housing to be the same as for all housing:• Children share (some exceptions – disabled child

who cannot share a room)• No allowance for disability only a non-resident

overnight carer

• It will only affect working age people (anyone who was born after 1st October 1951 at present)

• HB reduced by on average of £12 per week• Increase in amount of money for discretionary

housing payments for two years – 2013 up from £3.5 to £9 million

Bedroom Tax Impact

35,000 U/O

(20% adapted)

DLA to PIP

•Transition from June to early 2015•Lower component for care removed•Assessment led - -face to face

medical•Receipt of DLA is important for

many other benefits

What have we done

•Whole organisation response•Face to face contact•Extra specialist staff•Help to manage budgets/get extra

support

The story so far

• People are choosing to stay and pay• Most (all?) can ‘afford’ to make up the

shortfall• Few DHP awards as failing the affordability

test – postcode lottery• Loss of DLA will have an impact• Morale issue of use of disability related

benefits to pay housing costs• Early indications that some are struggling• Barriers to further adaptations as residents

transfer

The rest of the story

• Not all counties have AHR• Competing priorities - homelessness• More to consider when matching adapted homes• Adaptations and needs• Affordability• Under occupation

• Limited time….applicants are choosing homes they do not under occupy (or prevented)

Where next

• Securing victory in the pending court cases• Shifting the assessment of DHP to reflect

costs for disabled households• Continuing commitment to adaptations if

people down size