Hundreds may be forced from homes

New and existing housing benefit claimants in the city may be forced out of their homes by Whitehall’s cost-cutting extension of the Shared Accomodation Rate (SAR) from the under 25s to the under 35s.

The age threshold for application of the shared accommodation rate increased from 25 to 35 from January 1, 2012.

Previously, people over 25 could apply for help to pay rent on a one-bedroom flat. Now you have to be over 35 to get this benefit and anyone under that age can only apply for a shared room benefit.

Housing Minister Nelson McCausland said 779 existing housing benefit cases in Londonderry are affected be the cuts.

East Londonderry MLA Cathal O hOisín asked the Housing Minister Nelson McCausland if there was enough shared and smaller-type housing in the Foyle area to deal with the consequences of welfare reform.

Mr McCausland replied: “I am hampered in answering the question because the Housing Executive does not hold the information in the format requested, not only for Foyle but for all of Northern Ireland.

“It has informed me that, in the surrounding city council area, it has 398 houses in multiple occupation. It does not hold information on single-room apartments.”

He also revealed that 779 cases in the city would be affected by the benefit cuts.

“The Housing Executive has identified 779 existing housing benefit cases in its three district offices covering the city council area that would be affected by the extension of the shared room rate to 25- to 34-year-olds.

“The precise effect of welfare reform on tenants more widely is not known, and my Department, along with the Housing Executive, is taking steps to identify what services and support need to be put in place to assist those who are impacted on by the changes. Those steps will include assessing the adequacy of shared and smaller homes, and the housing strategy will address that question further.”

The revelation that so many are affected by the welfare changes follow reports by the Sentinel that almost one thousand people are accepted by the Housing Executive to be homeless in Londonderry and yet there are 1,500 vacant residential properties in the city and that 1,087 of these are houses.

Mr McCausland said the changes were introduced as part of the 2010 spending review.

He added: “It is clearly intended, and it was expected, that the change would help to contain housing benefit costs, which have risen exponentially over the past five years.

“The number of cases has risen by some 20 per cent, with expenditure on housing benefit having increased by 40 per cent.

“That is the background to all of that. It is a matter of parity, and, therefore, it is something that we are required to follow.”