Welfare Reform

Two research papers, recently published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and Cardiff Metropolitan University, put forward recommendations to improve the Universal Credit (UC) system.

New Regulations have been passed, coming into effect on 20^th April 2017, which expand the circumstances in which a household is permitted an “additional” room by Housing Benefit rules. These changes apply to both the social and private rented sectors.

Housing Rights is seriously concerned that the potential dissolution of the Assembly could have the unintended consequence of the Executive failing to mitigate the introduction of the Social Sector Size Criteria (the so-called “bedroom tax”) in Northern Ireland.