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Housing Benefits

The SFHA is running a major campaign on the UK Government's proposed changes to Housing Benefit, which we believe will negatively affect tenants and housing associations throughout Scotland.

LATEST: The Welfare Reform Bill returned to the House of Commons on 31st January 2012. Despite writing to all Scottish MPs asking them to uphold and retain Lord Best's underoccupancy amendment, MPs voted to overturn that amendment along with all the others. We understand that the Bill will appear before the House of Lords week beginning 13th February, with it being likely to receive Royal Assent at the end of February/early March 2012.

Background

The launch took place at our "Tackling Poverty in Our Communities" event at Ibrox Stadium on 30th September 2010.  You can read our press release about the lauch here: SFHA Launches Housing Benefits Campaign

As part of its twin agendas of reforming the welfare state and reducing the UK's national budget deficit, the UK coalition Government announced major changes to Housing Benefit, in its Emergency Budget on 22nd June 2010.

The SFHA believes the proposed changes will have far-reaching and negative consequences for housing associations and tenants in Scotland.

The changes will:

• Affect the income of tenants in Scotland
  
• Affect the income of housing associations and co-operatives in Scotland
  
• Increase waiting lists for affordable housing

Our Research

Briefings

• Briefing: Write to your MP about the underoccupation penalty - 18 January 2012
• Briefing: Underoccupation Penalty amendment - victory in House of Lords (Dec 2011)
• Briefing: Welfare Reform Bill - Summary Report from Second Reading debate 13th September 2011
• SFHA Welfare Reform Bill Briefing for Second Reading in the House of Lords - 13th September 2011 - (revised following postponement of 19th July reading)
• SFHA Welfare Reform Bill Briefing for Second Reading in the House of Lords - 19th July 2011
• SFHA Briefing: Welfare Reform Bill - What it means for your tenants
• Welfare Reform Bill - Briefing to Scottish MPs ahead of Second Reading Debate on 9th March 2011
• HB Reform Briefing Note
• Briefing for Scottish MPs ahead of House of Commons Debate 9th Nov

The SFHA has written to the Scottish Affairs Committee to register its concern about the way that the Welfare Reform Bill committee is proceeding, particularly regarding concerns that evidence from the devolved administrations is being marginalised. You can read the letter together with our evidence to the Welfare Reform Bill Committee here: SFHA Letter to Scottish Affairs Committee re Welfare Reform Bill issues - 8th April 2011

Get Involved

• Help us get the message across to the UK and Scottish parliaments. Download a copy of our template campaign letter and send it to your MP or MSP 
• Download a copy of our latest campaign leaflet.
  
• Download a copy of our Template Article for your tenants newsletter
• Use our Welfare Reform Calculator (and notes) to help your tenants find out how they will be affected
• Download our printable signup forms for our Housing Benefits campaign and distribute them to anyone without internet access.  Forms can be returned to the SFHA by post, fax (0141 332 9684) or by scanning and This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
• You can also still sign up online to support our campaign for a fairer system.

Click here to sign up to the Housing Benefits campaign

To find out what else you can do to support the campaign, contact David Ogilvie This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Claire Munro This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it