Agenda item

The Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

The Sub Committee received a presentation from the Director of Community and Children’s Services on the Welfare Reform highlighting the national context for the reforms, an overview of how it would affect the City and its residents and the implications and detailed impacts expected.

Debate followed the presentation and a number of points were raised, among which:

·         The Disability Living Allowance would end for everyone of working age even if they had an indefinite period award. They would need to apply online for the new Personal Independence Payments (PIPs), raising concerns that not everyone would have access to a computer, the internet or even know that the new forms had to be completed. This increased the risk of higher rent arrears.

·         The Benefit Team could administer discretionary Housing Benefit on a temporary basis, for example, if a tenant’s situation was expected to change within six months in regards to the Bedroom Cap.

·         Tenants were legally allowed to accept a lodger in order to occupy empty or spare rooms with permission from their Landlord. The option may not be suitable if the tenant had mental health problems and there were risks with accepting a lodger for example, if small children resided in the property. There was no legal obligation to carry out safeguarding checks.

·         Of the 66 households affected by the Bedroom Cap, approximately ten households were thought to be in receipt of benefits close to £26,000 per year which would be the total benefit cap from April 2013. Larger households would be more affected.

RECEIVED