{"id":35246,"date":"2017-09-26T15:36:42","date_gmt":"2017-09-26T14:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=35246"},"modified":"2017-09-26T15:36:42","modified_gmt":"2017-09-26T14:36:42","slug":"social-housing-tenants-struggling-in-scotland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/planning-construction-news\/social-housing-tenants-struggling-in-scotland\/35246\/","title":{"rendered":"Social housing tenants ‘struggling’ in Scotland"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to a new report, social housing tenants in Scotland are struggling to pay the first month\u2019s rent in advance as a result of welfare reforms, making it harder for them to find and retain a home<\/h2>\n

Shelter Scotland<\/a> and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations <\/a>(SFHA) raised their concerns in a joint report titled; \u2018First Month\u2019s Rent Flexibilities<\/a>\u2019\u00a0published today, which calls for housing associations across Scotland to be as flexible as possible with tenants regarding payment of the first month\u2019s rent and for the Scottish Government to enhance the level of support available.<\/p>\n

They raised their concerns following growing evidence that the launch of Universal Credit, changes to the way housing benefit is calculated and the benefits cap are increasing the financial pressures on many households.<\/p>\n

They fear an excess of arrears for both social housing tenants and housing associations which\u00a0might never be paid off and could be followed by the possibility of eviction and homelessness.<\/p>\n

Among several key recommendations was a call to have the option of only one week\u2019s rent in advance and a call for the Scottish Government to introduce a repayable loan system to assist new tenants with their first month\u2019s rent.<\/p>\n

Sarah Boyack, head of public affairs, SFHA, said: \u201cThis report highlights the detrimental effects that delayed Universal Credit payments are having on social landlords and their tenants.<\/p>\n

\u201cDelays to housing benefit and poor communication from the DWP places tenants in debt before their tenancy even begins.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis situation ultimately undermines the social housing model and instead of sustaining tenancies and supporting vulnerable tenants, puts both landlords and tenants in an even more vulnerable position.<\/p>\n

\u201cSFHA will work with its members, the Scottish Government and Shelter Scotland to mitigate the impact of Universal Credit and to find workable solutions which help people to sustain their tenancies.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adam Lang, head of communications and policy at Shelter Scotland, added: \u201cIt\u2019s vital that homeless households, people on low incomes and people who can\u2019t access other forms of housing can find a home they can afford.<\/p>\n

\u201cSocial housing provides that safety net. But one month\u2019s rent in advance for some households is simply not affordable.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople starting their tenancy in arrears from which they may not recover is not in anyone\u2019s interest, so flexible arrangements such as one week\u2019s rent in advance or introducing repayable loans from the Scottish Government could make the difference between affording a home or not for many households.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shelter Scotland and SFHA are making the following recommendations on local and national level:<\/p>\n

Local\u00a0Level<\/h3>\n