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New research: Making UC work more effectively for people in supported housing.
New research is set to challenge current government thinking that housing costs for supported housing cannot remain within the welfare system.
Commissioned by Riverside, St Mungo’s, YMCA and The Salvation Army, the study will seek to identify practical solutions to make Universal Credit work more effectively for vulnerable people who depend on supported housing ...
Findings from the research are expected to be published in May.
http://www.24housing.co.uk/news/new-research-to-test-government-over-universal-credit/
am i missing something here or is keeping it out the uc system not better?
I think that the proposal is to take it completely out of the benefit system and give the money for funding supported accommodation to councils with Adult Social Care responsibilities.
I think that the proposal is to take it completely out of the benefit system and give the money for funding supported accommodation to councils with Adult Social Care responsibilities.
Oh dear! Let’s hope not given the lack of money available already.
I think that the proposal is to take it completely out of the benefit system and give the money for funding supported accommodation to councils with Adult Social Care responsibilities.
In principle I have always thought that was the correct approach to paying for supported housing.
The problem is that unless payment is mandatory some local authorities will, given the financial pressures they are under, fail to step up to the mark and pay the additional costs of supported housing - expect to see them apply restrictive criteria and/or only make partial payments.
It seems similar to the winding up of Preserved Rights in around 2002. Previously Income Support covered the full cost of a residential or nursing care payment if it had been in payment since before 1993. Then local authorities picked up most of the tab with a residential allowance being paid through Income Support at only around £56 per week. Eventually even the residential allowance element was abolished. Perhaps something similar might happen here with a local housing allowance being paid through the UC award in the normal way and the local authority (Social Services) having to assess whether a top up can be awarded out of their funds.
The SoS said a couple of days ago that the Green Paper on social care would include housing issues.