Evictions and Out-of-Area Rehousing of Council Tenants affected by Welfare Reform
Dear Cherwell District Council,
I am seeking information about the potential impact of central government welfare reform policies on eviction rates and geographical displacement of households with council housing tenancies. My information request relates to three welfare reform policies:
- Under-Occupancy (also known as Removal of Spare Room Subsidy / Bedroom Tax)
- The Benefit Cap
- Universal Credit roll-out
I understand that under Section 16 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 there is a duty to assist and advise the requester. I would appreciate your advice if you think my request needs any clarification in order to get the information that I am looking for, or if it would exceed the cost limit in its present form.
1. Please provide an annual breakdown since April 2010 of the total number of unique council tenancies - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - that have been evicted due to the non-payment of rent arrears.
2. For each year of this annual breakdown since April 2013, please disclose how many of these evicted households - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - had at some point been affected by:
a. Under-occupancy
b. Under-occupancy and the Benefit Cap
c. Under-occupancy and the Benefit Cap and Universal Credit roll-out
3. How many of the evicted households affected by a, b, or c - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - went on to make a successful homelessness application to the local authority?
4. Of these successful homeless applications, please disclose how many households - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - were placed in temporary accommodation in a different local authority area and disclose the destination local authority area in each case.
Yours faithfully,
Sophie Carr
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, if you wish to contact us regarding your request please email [Cherwell District Council request email] and quote case reference 101000896049
Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental Information Regulations 2004
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Kind regards
Information Access Team (Email: [email address])
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL, if you wish to contact us regarding your request please email [Cherwell District Council request email] and quote case reference 101000896049
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Dear Ms Carr
I write to apologise for delay with the information being sent over to you. We have part of the answers but my colleagues dealing with homeless are quite short staffed at the moment so it is taking a bit longer than usual.
Thanks for your patience and we endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.
Kind regards
Hayley Adkins
Administration Assistant
Housing Services
Tel: 01295 221753
www.cherwell.co.uk
www.southnorthants.co.uk
Details of request:: Dear Cherwell District Council,
I am seeking information about the potential impact of central government welfare reform policies on eviction rates and geographical displacement of households with council housing tenancies. My information request relates to three welfare reform policies:
- Under-Occupancy (also known as Removal of Spare Room Subsidy / Bedroom Tax)
- The Benefit Cap
- Universal Credit roll-out
I understand that under Section 16 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 there is a duty to assist and advise the requester. I would appreciate your advice if you think my request needs any clarification in order to get the information that I am looking for, or if it would exceed the cost limit in its present form.
1. Please provide an annual breakdown since April 2010 of the total number of unique council tenancies - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - that have been evicted due to the non-payment of rent arrears.
2. For each year of this annual breakdown since April 2013, please disclose how many of these evicted households - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - had at some point been affected by:
a. Under-occupancy
b. Under-occupancy and the Benefit Cap
c. Under-occupancy and the Benefit Cap and Universal Credit roll-out
3. How many of the evicted households affected by a, b, or c - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - went on to make a successful homelessness application to the local authority?
4. Of these successful homeless applications, please disclose how many households - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - were placed in temporary accommodation in a different local authority area and disclose the destination local authority area in each case.
Yours faithfully,
Sophie Carr
Dear Ms Carr
Freedom of Information Act 2000
Ref: 101000896049
Apologies for delay in response to your request. Please be advised as follows against your questions.
I trust this clarifies matters.
The Council endeavours to answer requests for information as fully and accurately as possible. If you are not satisfied with this response, you may request an internal review by contacting the Council’s Freedom of Information Officer at the above address or at [Cherwell District Council request email]. If, following the review, you are still not satisfied with the Council’s response, you are advised to contact the Information Commissioner directly at the Information Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF or on [email address]
Yours sincerely
Jo Barrett
Joanne Barrett
Joint Housing Manager
South Northamptonshire Council and Cherwell District Council
Direct dial: 01327 322369
E-mail: [email address]
Details of request:: Dear Cherwell District Council,
I am seeking information about the potential impact of central government welfare reform policies on eviction rates and geographical displacement of households with council housing tenancies. My information request relates to three welfare reform policies:
- Under-Occupancy (also known as Removal of Spare Room Subsidy / Bedroom Tax)
- The Benefit Cap
- Universal Credit roll-out
I understand that under Section 16 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 there is a duty to assist and advise the requester. I would appreciate your advice if you think my request needs any clarification in order to get the information that I am looking for, or if it would exceed the cost limit in its present form.
1. Please provide an annual breakdown since April 2010 of the total number of unique council tenancies - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - that have been evicted due to the non-payment of rent arrears.
We have has 3 evictions since 2010.
One in 2015 ( 2 residents) and two in 2018 (1 resident in each).
2. For each year of this annual breakdown since April 2013, please disclose how many of these evicted households - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - had at some point been affected by:
a. Under-occupancy
b. Under-occupancy and the Benefit Cap
c. Under-occupancy and the Benefit Cap and Universal Credit roll-out
None of the evictions were subject to a,b,or c.
3. How many of the evicted households affected by a, b, or c - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - went on to make a successful homelessness application to the local authority?
None
4. Of these successful homeless applications, please disclose how many households - including the total number of people recorded as living in them - were placed in temporary accommodation in a different local authority area and disclose the destination local authority area in each case.
None
Yours faithfully,
Sophie Carr
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