Voluntary sector leads way in housing affordability research

Kevin Higgins of Advice NI highlights recommendations from the research into housing affordability conducted by the voluntary advice sector as part of the Semple review.

The publication of the Review into Affordable Housing report by Sir John Semple in April marked the conclusion of a relatively short but intense DSD review which looked at problems experienced by first time buyers and low income households attempting to enter owner-occupation and examined the social and private rented sectors.

Advice NI successfully bid for a tender to conduct qualitative research on the issue, bringing together five organisations with a unique perspective on housing tenures - Belfast Interface Project, Rural Community Network, Housing Rights Service, NI Anti Poverty Network and Organisation for the Unemployed NI - and including the 70 organisations that make up the Advice NI membership.

The research explored the impact that inability to access appropriate housing has on people’s lives and their aspirations, focusing on housing in a segregated urban context; in a dispersed rural context; from the perspective of people in debt, people living in poverty (waged or unwaged) and people in a jobless situation.

A final report reflecting the views of participants was presented to the review team. This article gives a summary of its main findings and recommendations.

eConsultation

Advice NI facilitated an online eConsultation between 14 December and 26 January, encouraging anyone with an interest in the issue to log on and have their say.

An assessment should be made of the quantity of social housing stock and its ability to meet demand, particularly from homeless people.

NIHE should review the impact of the Right to Buy scheme and consider alterations to ensure that it is at least impact-neutral in terms of the overall level of social housing stock and make a greater commitment to buying back former Housing Executive property.

Borrowers are stretching themselves to the limit. Lenders are increasing the amounts they are prepared to lend which is placing many people at risk. Government must acknowledge the need for additional funding for frontline debt and money advice services, particularly independent advice centres targeting deprived geographical areas and vulnerable social groups.

The shortfall between private rented sector Housing Benefit and contractual rent charges needs to be addressed urgently.

Northern Ireland is home to a rising number of migrant workers; government should have strategies for sufficient affordable housing to meet demand.

Rural housing

Rural Community Network held small group discussions in Cookstown with participants from rural Northern Ireland.

PPS14 has amplified the issue of affordable rural housing with a massive increase in the cost of available rural sites and houses. This is exacerbated by the limited social housing stock in rural areas. There is a clear need for affordable housing in rural communities.

There is now an opportunity for NIHE to be supported to move from its traditional role of addressing urgent housing need to becoming an integral part of rural development through providing affordable housing.

It is important to recognise that growing affordability issues will have a negative impact on the long term sustainability of rural communities eg schools and services.

Co-ownership needs to be promoted more widely to address affordability.

There is a need to work with rural communities to assess housing need and potential sites for development. The Rural Housing Enabler model which exists in other parts of the UK should be used.

Grants for empty properties and Living Over the Shop initiatives were welcomed but require flexibility and the process must be simplified. Grants for renovations should be increased in line with updated costing and to the same level as replacement grants. VAT should not be charged on renovation work.

Urban housing

Belfast Interface Project held structured interviews with subgroups organised by the Lower Shankill Community Association, Lenadoon Community Forum, Ballynafeigh Community Development Association, Short Strand Community Forum and Suffolk Community Forum.

Housing need should be addressed without territorial boundaries.

Planning should move to ‘place shaping’ rather than an objection-based model. Local people need a say in planning.

Houses in Multiple Occupation increase population density. The 30 per cent cap on them needs ‘teeth’ to be enforced.

Government should promote areas of mixed income and mixed political, religious and ethnic background.

Communities could be supported to start their own property development companies.

Housing and poverty

Northern Ireland Anti Poverty Network held structured interviews on housing and poverty with subgroups organised by NI Care & Resettlement of Asylum Seekers (NICRAS), Disability Action, Windsor Women’s Group, Greenway Women’s Centre, Older People's Forum North Belfast and SIMON Community.

People on benefits should have full rent paid to enable them to maintain their households.

Tax credits, taken into account as income for Housing Benefit purposes, do not work for people on low incomes in rented accommodation.

Rates should be set on income level and not the value of the home. Because a house increases in value does not mean that the occupants have more spending power. Water charges should be scrapped, people already pay for water through rates.

NIHE should pay a set level of benefit for all people entitled to Housing Benefit; this should not be influenced by age.

There should be no discrimination toward the unemployed; landlords should be legally obliged to rent to benefit claimants.

There should be help with upfront payments for deposits and the standard one month rent needed to begin any tenancy.

All rents, regardless of sector, should be regulated through a legally binding Rent Guarantee Scheme.

Housing and joblessness

Organisation for the Unemployed (Northern Ireland) led structured interviews with subgroups organised by the Armagh Unemployed Group and Ballyclare Community Concerns.

Whilst people living in social housing were generally content with their current situation, all interviewees in private rented accommodation were dissatisfied with what they considered to be excessive rental charges, insecurity of tenure and unnecessary restrictions.

The main barriers to accessing appropriate and affordable housing were escalating house prices, lack of social housing, unavailability of decently paid and sustainable employment and excessive rental costs within the private rented sector.

Most believed that the House Sales Scheme had impacted negatively on access to social housing. This was not due to the scheme itself, generally viewed in a positive way, but to the perception that houses sold were not being replaced. Most felt the scheme made little difference to wealth generation or the stability of an area.

There was a marked difference in aspirations between people in social housing and those who were homeless or living in private rented accommodation, with the former stating that they were happy to stay in their current homes in the future. Some added that they would eventually like to buy their homes under the House Sales Scheme.

Greater availability of social housing accommodation, regulation of private landlords, a review of the Housing Benefit system to ensure that people on state benefits have their housing costs met in full and the introduction of measures to assist people who want to buy their own homes (such as the reintroduction of MIRAS) would improve the general housing situation.

Housing and debt

Housing Rights Service assessed this through one-to-one interviews with clients, all of whom were having problems with mortgage or rent arrears.

There is need for better relief and support for people in mortgage arrears.

Housing Benefit levels should reflect market rents.

For a full copy of the research visit www.adviceni.net or www.dsdni.gov.uk.