Voluntas 4th Annual Customer Conference. 15th November 2012. Welfare Reform by Joe Halewood, Supported Housing Consultant.
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VC4 Welfare Reform
1. Welfare? No!
Reform? No!
Dont miss the elephant in
the room
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood #speyejoe
07749 121 332
2. Elephants?
SRS has focused on bedroom tax, bedroom
tax, bedroom tax
That is inept as it only levels the playing field
with PRS and LHA
Other changes are far more damaging to the
social housing model and the SRS is only just
waking up to (some) of them - the OBC and
tenant perceptions it is missing
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
3. Welfare?
It is not WELFARE (benefit) changes that will happen
but HOUSING BENEFIT changes and cuts
HOUSING BENEFIT accounts for 62% or so of SRS
income
The OBC simply deducts WELFARE BENEFITS from the
overall benefit cap leaving a residual amount that
can be paid TOWARDS rent
You cant cut my dole but you can cut my rent
tenant perceptions are being ignored
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
4. Welfare ?
JSA / IS or dole is the same level across the country
as is DLA or any other WELFARE benefit
It is already capped & the Welfare Reform Bill didnt
cut or cap the level of any WELFARE benefit
WELFARE reform (?) is a bigger misnomer than
affordable rent or supporting people (SP)
10 years ago supported housing went through its
biggest change now it is the turn of general needs
social housing
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
5. Welfare? Reform?
The raft of reforms are not WELFARE reforms (?)
they are HOUSING BENEFIT reforms
Reform means to improve? The welfare (sic) reforms
(sic) benefit who exactly?
The changes are just HB cuts and a (political and
dogmatic) attack on the social housing model
The move from bricks and mortar to people and
this means tenant perceptions of reform
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
6. Impact, Impact, Impact!
Overall Benefit Cap 74% public approval
No family should get more in benefit than the
average wage strong yet superficial argument
(but unchallenged!)
SRS / RP approach it wont affect us our rents
are only 贈90 per week! is naive short-termism
writ large
OBC will fundamentally change the tenant
demographic and profile in the SRS
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
7. Bricks and Mortar to People?
Supported housing deals with people general
needs social housing deals with bricks and mortar
10 years ago all in supported housing were
anticipating SP coming in April 2003
SP attempted to professionalise supported housing
delivery WRB does the same to general needs
housing
Huge parallels and similarities and the way to view
and prepare for WRB changes
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
8. People and how they react 1
Oxford Pilot on direct payments:
....September was an interesting month as
children went back to school. Some just paid three
weeks instead of four as their children were going
back to school and needed things for the new term.
http://www.24dash.com/news/housing/2012-11-07-Direct-payment-tenants-taken-to-court
Not just direct payment issue but a tenant
perception issue
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
9. People (tenants) and reactions 2
Wirral Homes (RP) on bedroom tax
There has been some confusion with some
people thinking their rent is going up but that
is not the case their benefits could be cut
depending on their circumstances.
http://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/10013319.Social_landlords_respond_to__bedroom
_tax__concerns/
SRS landlords getting wrongly blamed for
bedroom tax by tenants (risk to reputation!)
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
10. Tenant perceptions of reform
Because HB is the ONLY benefit to be cut or capped
then it sends out the message that benefit for rent is
less important and therefore paying rent is a less
important priority
As rents increase by RPI+ and welfare benefits
increase by less (CPI) and the OBC by wage inflation
(even less) then the systemic flaw in the OBC
appears
Rent inflation is RPI+0.5% is 3.1% ; welfare benefits
at CPI (2.1%) and OBC by 1.4% = more tenant anger
at SRS rent increases
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
11. Tenant perceptions
YET because direct payment of HB puts tenant in
control they will make what payments they like e.g. 3
weeks not 4 when school uniforms are needed
Further reduced rent payments at Christmas? Summer
Holidays? Other times?
Doubling of bad debt (arrears) provision is not enough
More use of arrears evictions? Ground 8? Pinnock?
Increasing rents by maximum to recover escalates this
vicious circle
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
12. OBC the real elephant in the room!
The OBC WILL significantly change the tenant
demographic in the SRS
At April 2013 will only affect 5 child+ families in SRS
so seen as minor issue by RPs
Yet by end of next parliament will affect 3 child+
families in the SRS and the days of full HB are over
At April 2013 it will affect 2 child + families in PRS
who will become homeless and looking for SRS
accommodation start of changing tenant profile in
SRS
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
13. OBC Changing tenant profile
DWP September 2012 released revised figures for the
numbers of households the OBC will affect
Up from 56,000 at July 2012 estimate for 2013/14 to
171,000 a tripling of the numbers (44% are in the SRS
and 56% in the PRS)
Rising by 8,500 per month or 102,000 per year!
3 times as many SRS tenants wont get full HB than first
thought
3 times as many PRS tenants will go down the eviction
TA wanting SRS property to end LA full homeless duty
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
14. OBC impact on SRS landlords 1
How can SRS landlords plan their policies for
development, arrears, allocations etc in next 5 years
if they ignore the OBC?
Development? Is the affordable (sic) rent model
viable as the 65% average rent increase means more
SRS tenants likely to be caught by OBC?
When the OBC systemic flaw means in 2020 that the
risk of arrears and eviction becomes all 4 child
families and all 3 child families in 2025 how can SRS
development take place at all?
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
15. OBC impact on SRS landlords 2
Allocations? RPS are duty-bound to help LAs with
allocations but they must be reasonable. So can RPs
refuse nominations? Will RPs become more
selective and more risk-averse in who they allocate
to?
Is it worth RPs developing anything bigger than 3 bed
properties?
Or put another way are larger properties a risk too
far for developing RPs?
Relationship between RPs and LAs? (More STOs
taken back in-house?)
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
16. OBC the systemic flaw 1
In simple terms the overall benefit cap (贈500 /
贈350pw) increases at a smaller rate than either
welfare benefits or rent levels
This means less of a residual in real terms each year
goes towards housing payment (now paid by HB)
More and more smaller families caught by OBC and
so get less benefit to pay towards rent
Risk to arrears for tenant and landlord is huge and
increases each year
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
17. OBC the systemic flaw 2
April 2013 - 5 child family gets 贈463 in welfare benefit leaving
贈37 as maximum rent contribution 3 bed London SRS rent
贈126pw = 贈89pw shortfall 3 bed provincial rent 贈87 =
贈50pw shortfall = RISK TOO FAR FOR SRS
April 2020 4 child family will get 贈456; cap will be 贈555
leaving 贈99 as max HB payment 3 bed London SRS rent 贈168
= 贈69pw shortfall = RISK TOO FAR FOR SRS LANDLORD; 3 bed
provincial rent 2020 will be 贈118 SO 4 CHILD FAMILIES
DONT GET FULL HB
April 2025 3 child family gets 贈421 in welfare benefits
leaving 贈176pw for rent from 贈597pw cap YET London 3 bed
SRS rent will be 贈210pw so a 贈34pw shortfall
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
18. OBC SF Context?
The SF figures all assume tenant will pay the rent
(Christmas / School Uniform / Other)
The SF figures ignore higher affordable rent units
LAs will be pressuring RPs to take larger families out
of temporary accommodation i.e. RPs take on
higher risk of arrears households at a time when RPs
will be (correctly) more risk averse
How can RPs develop / allocate new properties
based on 30 - 60 year projections?
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
19. OBC SF in 30 years?
In 2043 the OBC will be 贈769pw on current figures
In 2043 the 3 child family will get 贈609pw in WB leaving
贈160pw to pay for rent
In 2043 the 3 bed London SRS property will be 贈397pw a
shortfall or OBC cut of 贈237pw!
In 2043 the 3 bed provincial SRS property will be 贈284pw a
shortfall or OBC cut of 贈124pw
A 2 child family will get 贈482pw in welfare benefits leaving
贈187 as max HB 2 bed SRS rent provincial will be 贈265pw
a 贈78pw shortfall and a risk too far
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
20. Summary
OBC will mean 2 child families wont get full rent and
become a risk too far
OBC transfers massive financial risk from central
government to SRS landlords and threatens the
viability of the social housing model
Dont shoot the messenger go and talk WITH
tenants and then talk WITH them again
Revise ALL you business models in light of the OBC
impact over next 30 years
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
21. Questions?
END OF RANT (?)
MADE YOU THINK AGAIN?
QUESTIONS?
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood (#speyejoe)
07749 121 332
22. 2 parent 2 child 3 bed London SRS
2013 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
A CAP 500 515 554 597 643 683 736 792
B WB 256 267 298 332 371 404 451 489
C RENT 126 138 171 210 255 297 356 392
D TOT (B+C) 382 405 469 542 626 701 807 881
E RESIDUAL 贈118 贈110 贈85 贈45 贈17 -贈18 -贈71 -贈89
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
23. 2 parent 3 child London 3bed SRS
2013 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
A CAP 500 515 554 597 643 683 736 792
B WB 324 338 377 421 469 512 570 619
C RENT 126 138 171 210 255 297 356 392
D TOT (B+C) 450 476 555 631 724 809 926 1011
E RESIDUAL 贈50 贈39 -贈1 -贈34 -贈81 -贈126 -贈190 -贈219
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
24. 2P/3C Provinces 3 bed SRS
2013 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
A CAP 500 515 554 597 643 683 736 792
B WB 324 338 377 421 469 512 570 619
C RENT 86 95 121 152 188 220 267 295
D TOT (B+C) 410 433 498 563 657 732 837 914
E RESIDUAL 贈90 贈82 贈56 贈34 -贈14 -贈49 -贈101 -贈122
25. 2P/4C London 3 bed SRS
2013 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
A CAP 500 515 554 597 643 683 736 792
B WB 392 409 456 509 567 619 690 749
C RENT 126 138 171 210 255 297 356 392
D TOT (B+C) 518 547 627 719 822 916 1046 1141
E RESIDUAL -贈18 -贈32 -贈73 -贈122 -贈179 -贈233 -贈310 -贈349
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
26. 2P/4C Provinces 3 Bed SRS
2013 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045
A CAP 500 515 554 597 643 683 736 792
B WB 392 409 456 509 567 619 690 749
C RENT 86 95 121 152 188 220 267 295
D TOT (B+C) 478 504 577 661 755 839 957 1044
E RESIDUAL 贈12 贈11 -贈23 -贈64 -贈112 -贈156 -贈221 -贈252
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood 07749 121 332
27. Latest DWP figures on SRS tenants affected by OBC
July 2012 est. Was 44% of 56,000, Oct 2012 est. is
44% of 171,000 in Year 1 = 75240
This rises to 165,000 SRS tenants by 2015
To 389,000 SRS tenants by 2020; To 614,000 SRS
tenants by 2025
To 838,000 SRS tenants by 2030; To 1.06m SRS
tenants by 2035
To 1.29m SRS tenants by 2040; To 1.51m SRS tenants
by 2045
Source: http://speye.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/3-times-more-
tenants-hit-by-obc-next-year-dwp-figures-reveal/
joe@hsmonline.co.uk Joe Halewood
07749 121 332