Despite continued doubts being expressed by the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Margaret Hodge and other MPs (see links 1 and 2 below), the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Ian Duncan Smith and his ministers remain adamant that progress on the development of the new Universal Credit…

Ask any landlord, whether they are a Local Authority housing department, a Housing Association (HA) or a private residential landlord, as to which of the housing related changes in the Welfare Reform package they fear most and the answer will invariable be the redirection of the money, designed to meet…

When the Coalition Government came to power in 2010 it immediately declared that its number one priority was to reduce the national debt and this was reflected in the first budget of the new Chancellor, George Osborne, a few months later. Welfare Benefits in general and Housing Benefit in particular…

On 15th June 2012 DWP issued various sets of draft regulations to underpin their Welfare Reform Act. The sets include one on Universal Credit and it is of particular interest to note some of the radical changes that are being made to the support that will be included in UC…

One of the key changes announced in Chancellor George Osborne’s Emergency Budget on taking office in 2010 has only recently been implemented yet its impact has already started to be felt in the private rented sector. From April 2012 Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, that form of Housing Benefit paid…

The first draft regulations in what will be a steady stream of new legislation that will flow from DWP over the coming months to underpin their Welfare Reform programme has just been issued.Perhaps the most contentious of all the housing related changes, these draft regulations introduce for the first time…

In recent weeks my attention has been drawn to the increased media interest, and associated Ministerial statements, relating to the Welfare Reforms agenda, currently being debated by “Your Noble Lords”, at Report Stage. Even the clergy sense something is seriously amiss with the Coalition Government’s proposals. To continue reading, click…

As I write, I’m travelling north on the Pennine Express having delivered a couple of workshops at the National Landlords Conference which this year took place in Manchester. The conference organisers had given me a blank canvass and up until a few days before, my intention had been to concentrate…

We contacted the Sectretary of State and the Minister for Welfare Reform.  The attached PDF is a scan of the response they sent. Click here for the PDF Response…

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Most of the regular readers of this column will know that I’m a classic case of “Gamekeeper turned Poacher” having been Head of Benefits& Revenues and advisor to the Housing Benefit Standing Committee, Westminster. Click Here To Get The Full Article as a PDF First published: August 2011 in Your…