Time to reflect on benefits of Welfare Bill amendments
The return of the Welfare Reform Bill to the House of Commons offers an opportunity to reflect on what this legislation could mean for the thousands of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in England, says Jackie McCluskey, director of policy and communications at Homeless Link.
While we have welcomed the government's intention to make the welfare system simpler and more efficient, and support the principles of Universal Credit, we have expressed deep concerns that some proposals in the Welfare Reform Bill will result in increased homelessness.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) own impact assessments predict a rise in homelessness. For example, the proposal to link housing costs to the consumer price index (CPI) rather than local rent levels will, according to the DWP, result in 936,960 households losing out. The DWP also predict that the proposed household benefit cap will lead to reductions in benefits for 67,000 households in 2013/14, resulting in increases in arrears, evictions and homelessness.
Since February last year Homeless Link has been working with organisations including Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), Crisis, National Housing Federation and Shelter to lobby on the housing aspects of the bill. We have supported amendments on a range of issues including retaining the link between benefits for housing costs and actual rent payable; a grace period for the benefit cap; and provision for tenants to choose direct payments: all issues which will affect some of the most vulnerable in our communities. We have been encouraged that some of these have been debated and supported in the Lords: for example, peers have supported an amendment to exempt families with just one additional bedroom who have no alternative property to downsize into from the under-occupation penalty; and we have also seen the Lords support an amendment to exempt child benefit from the cap calculation and are considering a grace period before introducing the benefit cap.
However there are many aspects of this bill which still present real risks to homeless people. Along with others, we have raised concerns about the introduction of a tougher sanctions regime on the most vulnerable. We supported an amendment on ensuring the DWP/Job Centre Plus must take into account the personal circumstances of the claimant before any sanction is imposed. Although the amendment was withdrawn, we are working to ensure that the regulations address these issues.
We have also been lobbying against the abolition of the discretionary Social Fund, supporting amendments on ring-fencing the replacement funding to local authorities, amongst others. We are very concerned about the loss of this essential safety net on the most vulnerable at times of crisis and in supporting homeless people into independence.
Important concessions to the bill were gained in the Lords, in particular on the benefit cap and under-occupation proposals. As the Bill returns to the Commons, we hope that the government and Parliament will accept the Lords amendments and not seek to overturn these
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