Dear Sirs
The Housing Minister’s endorsement of schemes which help elderly
owner-occupiers to downsize is welcome (“State to help
elderly downsize as Government tackles housing crisis”, The
Telegraph, 17/1/2012). However Mr. Shapps’ enthusiasm pales
when seen in the context of another Government policy which will
prevent thousands of elderly tenants in the social housing sector
from moving into smaller, more suitable homes.
The Government is proposing to reduce housing benefit for
working age tenants who under-occupy their homes. This will catch
nearly 700,000 tenants, most of whom have one spare bedroom by the
Government’s definition – although in reality this is often used
for normal family life such as enabling teenage children to have
separate bedrooms, separated fathers to have regular overnight
access to their children, and heroic couples to foster.
The effect of this will be entirely predictable. Faced with a
reduction in benefit of 14 – 25%, there will be a rush of working
age tenants seeking to downsize – albeit reluctantly - even though
there is a nationwide shortage of smaller homes. Inevitably
councils and housing associations will prioritise tenants who will
otherwise struggle to pay their rent, meaning that elderly
under-occupiers who actually want to move will hardly get a look
in. Whilst for pensioners housing benefit may be protected, many
will be left rattling around in larger family houses which are
expensive to heat, and unsuited to their needs as they become
infirm.
In a week when the House of Lords continues to challenge the
Government on its welfare reforms, it is worth remembering that
before Christmas the Government suffered its biggest defeat yet on
the Welfare Reform Bill, when peers approved Lord Best’s sensible
amendment which would allow tenants a spare bedroom before benefit
is reduced. This would mean that the number of working age tenants
affected would reduce by around 80%, giving landlords the chance to
help older tenants wishing to downsize too.
Let’s have some joined up thinking.
Yours faithfully
Joy Baggaley
Acting Chief Executive