Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Head of Customer Services providing an update on housing benefit changes and the potential impact upon Huntingdonshire.

Noted a report on the Government’s Welfare Reform Programme and the impact of the changes to the Housing Benefit system upon Huntingdonshire residents.

The Cabinet received and noted a report by the Head of Customer Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the Government’s Welfare Reform Programme and the impact of changes to the Housing Benefit system upon Huntingdonshire residents.  The changes had been presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Social Well-Being) whose comments were relayed to the Cabinet.

Executive Councillors were advised that the Local Housing Allowance rates used to work out Housing Benefit entitlement had been reduced in April 2011.  Under the transitional protection arrangements existing tenants had received 9 months protection from the changes.  Although some claimants had seen a reduction in benefit of over £70 per week, only a small number had been in contact with the Council for advice.

Members’ attention was drawn to further reforms being implemented in April 2013, including the introduction of a benefit cap, the abolition of Council Tax benefit and changes to the calculation of the Local Housing Allowance and to the assessment of Housing Benefit for working age people living in social housing.  Executive Councillors were advised that many households would be affected by more than one of the welfare reforms with some experiencing a significant reduction in their benefit entitlement. In that respect, Members were assured that all claimants have been contacted to advise them of their personal changes and advice and help had been offered to them by the Council.  Furthermore, in response to an increase in statutory homelessness applications, a Medium Term Plan bid had been made for extra funds to cover the cost of homelessness.

Having thanked members and officers for their efforts in responding to the welfare changes in an efficient and effective manner, the Cabinet

RESOLVED

  that the contents of the report now submitted be noted.

To receive a report from the Head of Customer Services providing an update on housing benefit changes and the potential impact upon Huntingdonshire.

Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) have been invited to attend for discussion on this item.

20 Minutes.

(Mr J Collen, Housing Needs and Resources Manager, was in attendance for consideration of this item).

Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Customer Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) outlining the effects of Government changes to the Housing Benefits system, which were contained in the Welfare Reform Act. In introducing the report, the Housing Needs and Resources Manager indicated that a report on private sector rentals would be submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) at its meeting later that week. The report had been requested to enable the Panel to determine whether the changes had affected private sector rent rates. The conclusion, which had been reached, was these rates had not changed.

Members were advised that transitional protection arrangements for Housing Benefit claimants had ceased in December 2012 but that it was not yet known what the true impact of this would be given that only a small number of claimants had made contact with the Council to date. Whether there would be an increase in demand for services in the following months was not yet known but it appeared that this was likely. Members were assured that efforts were continuing to be made to contact those who would experience a reduction in their benefit entitlement. Changes to the way Housing Benefit was calculated for adults of working age residing within social housing and the introduction of a new local Council Tax Support scheme for the District would start to affect social housing tenants from April 2013. In his concluding remarks, the Housing Needs and Resources Manager outlined the latest position with regard to housing advice and options, together with the homelessness and prevention work, which had been undertaken by the Council in the first half of the 2012/13 Municipal year.

The Panel raised a number of questions and received responses from the Housing Needs and Resources Manager on whether the Council was able to subsidise private sector rents for those households faced with the threat of eviction, the use of MTP funding to assist with homelessness, the process undertaken by the Council to identify claimants at risk and the awareness raising activities being pursued in conjunction with Partners on the impact of the reforms.

Councillor P Kadewere reported that constituents currently on the Housing Register had made contact with him over two empty properties within his Ward. He queried what the status of these properties was. The Housing Needs and Resources Manager requested Councillor Kadewere to make contact with him outside of the meeting to discuss this matter further. Other matters that were discussed included the Council’s current performance in preventing households from becoming homeless and the difficulties faced by the Council because some private sector landlords were reluctant to accept tenants in receipt of housing benefit in their properties.

RESOLVED

  that the content of the report now submitted be noted.