Your Benefits Campaign

The UK government in Westminster is making some important changes to Housing Benefit from 4 April 2011. These changes form part of a larger 2011 welfare reform that aims to make the system fairer and more affordable.

While Community Housing Cymru has supported arguments for welfare reform, in particular, a simplification of the benefits systems, we believe that the current proposals will:

Have a detrimental affect on the most disadvantaged groups in society with many of these being driven into debt, falling into arrears or losing their home.

Lead to an increased demand for social housing when there is already a backlog of unmet demand.
Limit the capacity of the sector to build new homes and invest in community regeneration.
236,110 (8%) of individuals receive housing benefit in Wales. Of these 161,990 (69%) live in social rented housing and 74,000 (31%) in the private rented sector.

Community Housing Cymru is working with the other three housing representative bodies, the National Housing Federation, The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and the Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations, the Welsh Assembly Government, local authorities and a number of Welsh charities including Shelter Cymru and Citizens Advice to try to mitigate the effects these changes will have.

Community Housing Cymru believe these cuts will disproportionately affect those in greatest need, including homeless and vulnerable families, those in need of housing-related support, people with physical and mental health problems and children living in poverty, and lead to greater long-term economic and social costs for local authorities, housing associations and government in Wales. CHC are calling on the UK government to reconsider the cuts to housing benefit and local housing allowance, and have set up an online petition to get people to support our call.

To sign the petition please visit: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/39584.html

For further information on the proposed changes, please click on the attachment below:

Proposed Housing Benefit reforms and their impact in Wales - Briefing paper, October 2010

If you would like advice on the proposed benefits changes, contact Hafod's SMART Money Team on 029 2067 5800