Housing Benefit Award Notifications

Oral Answers to Questions — Social Development – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:00 pm on 23 February 2016.

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Photo of Jo-Anne Dobson Jo-Anne Dobson UUP 2:00, 23 February 2016

2. Mrs Dobson asked the Minister for Social Development for an update on the changes made to improve and simplify housing benefit award notifications. (AQO 9695/11-16)

Photo of Lord Maurice Morrow Lord Maurice Morrow DUP

New housing benefit notifications were launched in September 2015 for new claims and change of circumstances. That followed consultation with tenants' groups and advice sector agencies, such as the Housing Rights Service. The new housing benefit notifications were improved and simplified with a number of modifications, including expanded notes to include illustrative examples of how charges are calculated and explanations of some of the terminology used; clearly showing the amount of rent, rates and housing benefit due to the top of the notification; a single housing benefit notification is now issued setting out the latest circumstances rather than multiple notifications, if changes have taken place; and claimants are reminded in the notes that they can request a formal decision notice or written statement of reason, if required.

Photo of Jo-Anne Dobson Jo-Anne Dobson UUP

I thank the Minister for his answer. I have many elderly constituents who continue to struggle with letter after letter from the Housing Executive, which, despite recent changes, continue to be complex and confusing. That often leads elderly tenants into arrears through absolutely no fault of their own. What assurances can the Minister give that those letters will eventually be provided in plain English to help those who simply wish to live in their home and pay the correct amount each month?

Photo of Lord Maurice Morrow Lord Maurice Morrow DUP

I thank the Member for her question and for her supplementary question. I share her frustrations. We all have constituents who come to us confused because they get a lot of literature that is very difficult, at times, to interpret. I can tell the Member that a concentrated effort is being made to regularise and pull all this together into a single document, and I hope that, as a result, she and her constituents will see a marked improvement in the service and that tenants will receive a document that is easily understood. If the Member has a particular case that she wants to talk to me about, I am happy to do that.

Photo of Sammy Douglas Sammy Douglas DUP

I thank the Minister for his response. Will the Minister outline to the House the effects of the changes regarding the backdating of housing benefit?

Photo of Lord Maurice Morrow Lord Maurice Morrow DUP

I thank Mr Douglas for his question also. In his summer Budget, the Chancellor announced that from April 2016 housing benefit claims would be backdated for a maximum of one month. Under the existing provision, claimants can request the backdating of housing benefit for six months. The decision to reduce the period to one month is in line with changes in GB. When universal credit is implemented later this year, it will provide for only one month's backdating of claims, provided that the claimant can demonstrate good cause.