Welfare Reform

Depth_Charge

Hi

Latest offering from the BBC -

Things set to get worse before they get better for many and not just those affected by the welfare reform according to the IFS

Disposable incomes set to slide (for those that have any) others set to really struggle.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22765940

My take

Depth_Charge

Hi

DLA / PIP changes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22804563

joanne109

Depth_Charge wrote: »

Hi

Inside Housing article on housing benefit being paid direct to social landlords in the event of 2 months rent arrears in UC pathfinder

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/landlords-to-get-benefits-of-tenants-in-arrears/6526719.article?PageNo=1&SortOrder=dateadded&PageSize=50

Maybe someone is edging their bets already

This part of the welfare reform was always on dodgy ground and could turn out to be very expensive in my opinion.

I work in social housing. we're restructuring our teams so we have more staff to deal with rent arrears and evictions.

I didn't come into housing to evict children:(


Joanne

Depth_Charge

joanne109 wrote: »

I work in social housing. we're restructuring our teams so we have more staff to deal with rent arrears and evictions.

I didn't come into housing to evict children:(


Joanne

Hi Joanne

Thanks for the interesting reply / input

Yes, it looks like things are going to get busier for the social landlords, advice & support agencies, LA housing departments, GP surgeries, county courts and so on.

Much misery to come me thinks as all this now starts to feed through.

There looks to be some interesting 'spin off' developments with all this, for example

* talk of mandatory ground 8 being used in possession proceeding

* budgeting advice issues, with different agencies / providers having what could be descibed by some as 'their own interest agenda's

* the wider and increased use of payday loans

* credit unions arguing or suggesting that their loans should or ought to be classsed as priority

The credit unions could soon find themselves in a real catch 22 situation on a number of fronts with suggestions that some are perhaps facing a economical & mathmatical nightmare.

I do fear for some of the credit unions as I think they face an oncoming impossible situation as peoples bottom line incomes just dont add up - 'making use' child benefit payments wont stop it either (moot policy in my opinion that is doomed)

Very interesting Inside Housing link here from March this year for the stat crunchers & early days time card subscribers

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/tenancies/tenants-choose-to-stay-and-pay-bedroom-tax/6526324.article

Just my opinions & take as always

joanne109

I'm meeting with local credit unions and CAB later this week to discuss DWP framework and how we're going to apply it and deal with WR/UC in this area.

I've had some info back today from DWP, one of my families is going to be £290 per week worse off:eek::eek:

We don't use mandatory possession grounds (ground 8) as we are a stockholding LA landlord and all our tenancies are based on HA 85 - secure tenancies

I just want to chuck it in and go and work on the local supermarket tills:p

Oh well, onward and downward

Joanne

Depth_Charge

joanne109 wrote: »

I'm meeting with local credit unions and CAB later this week to discuss DWP framework and how we're going to apply it and deal with WR/UC in this area.

I've had some info back today from DWP, one of my families is going to be £290 per week worse off:eek::eek:

We don't use mandatory possession grounds (ground 8) as we are a stockholding LA landlord and all our tenancies are based on HA 85 - secure tenancies

I just want to chuck it in and go and work on the local supermarket tills:p

Oh well, onward and downward

Joanne

Hi

Thanks again for the interesting reply

With you mentioning the DWP framework it sounds like you know exactly where I am coming from on the Credit Unions.

Another point is that you mention a CAB / Credit Union meeting later in the week, think there are a few of these taking place up and down the country.

The whole thing looks full of holes to me unless people step back and really think this through.

People just wont have the money, will end up treading the payday loan path until they have nothing other than maybe an eviction warrant pushed into the palm of their hand.

Short term agency self interest and gain will just end up as long term losses with misery along the way for some and will probably end up with a rise in the debt relief orders and bankruptcies (and guess who will be on the forms along with the rest of the creditors)

Where does 'budget buddying' stop and proper debt advice begin, they cross over Im afraid its as simple as that (unless the person has no other debts of course)

The trouble is that the clock started ticking about a year ago and nobody would listen (I dont think they are listening now either)

Burning the horizontal candle at both ends with someone with a bunson burner under the middle.

Jeeze, what an absolute potential mess in the pipeline, there really is:(

PS - dont give in, no! never give in, no points for that:)

Depth_Charge

Hi

On the subject of Credit Union loans

Info below on the Eligible Loan Deduction Scheme (ELDS)

This could well be on course to become a very controversial area(already is in some places)

The Credit Unions and face to face advice agencies such as the CAB shadow boxing a little maybe at the moment but the gloves could well come off for real soon.

Allies as it should be but hey guys some of us are not going to stand by and let people and young families struggle and get into a further mess.

Its just that independent impartial advice thing again you see

You cannot pick and choose who it applies to and offering £10 food vouchers if you can get someone to join and take a loan, well.....

Where is this all going if we are not careful guys?

Only one way Im afraid.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/other-specialists/eligible-loan-deductions/

My opinions and take as always

TOOMUCHWORRY

I just want to chuck it in and go and work on the local supermarket tills:p

Oh well, onward and downward

Joanne[/QUOTE]

I am actually one of those people who do work on the local supermarket tills. I do this as a second job to save me and my family from losing our home. It may be a lowly job to some but it has helped turn our lives around.

Growurown

I had an interesting conversation with the Credit Union today. The Job Centre are pushing people their way because people needing crisis loans etc. can't get them any more and no one seems to be able to get the new budgeting loan either.

The Credit Union are also planning a 'jam jar' account to help people manage their money and budget when UC comes in. The benefit goes into the CU account, they then pay your rent and any other bills as necessary and then put the remainder into your bank account and that is what you have left to spend. The advantage using the CU to do this rather than the bank is that a) you can't get your money out instantly from the CU using the hole in the wall and b) it is too easy to cancel a direct debit from your bank account to use the money for something else. The community members I work with thought this would be a really good idea to help them budget.

Depth_Charge

Growurown wrote: »

I had an interesting conversation with the Credit Union today. The Job Centre are pushing people their way because people needing crisis loans etc. can't get them any more and no one seems to be able to get the new budgeting loan either.

The Credit Union are also planning a 'jam jar' account to help people manage their money and budget when UC comes in. The benefit goes into the CU account, they then pay your rent and any other bills as necessary and then put the remainder into your bank account and that is what you have left to spend. The advantage using the CU to do this rather than the bank is that a) you can't get your money out instantly from the CU using the hole in the wall and b) it is too easy to cancel a direct debit from your bank account to use the money for something else. The community members I work with thought this would be a really good idea to help them budget.

Hi

Yes, all this sounds good and is well intentioned.

The problem is that for some people and families is that money is so tight and set to get worse they simply will run dry before the end of the month.

If they have debts then these will have to be dealt with.

Targets may be becoming more important for Credit Unions.

Credit Unions are not debt advisers and I can see clear conflicts developing (they already are).

Recovery methods from those who default becoming an interesting debate.

This is a tricky situation that needs very careful thought as numbers on paper dont always reflect what is going on in the real world.

Experienced, realistic and sensible people are required or this could all belly flop

No easy answer to be fair but the payday loan people must be rubbing their hands.

My take