Evictions and Out-of-Area Rehousing of Council Tenants affected by Welfare Reform
Dear Middlesbrough 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 Lee
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Dear Ms Lee
REF NO: 012287
Thank you for your recent enquiry, received on 23/01/2018, in relation to
welfare reform. I can confirm that your enquiry is receiving attention
and a response will be provided within 20 working days following receipt
of your enquiry as allowed under the Freedom of Information Act
legislation.
In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will
let you know the likely charges before proceeding.
Please do not hesitate to contact me direct on (01642) 729696/729698 or
email [2][Middlesbrough Council request email] should you require any further advice or
assistance with this or any other matter.
Yours sincerely
Information Governance Assistant
Organisation and Governance
Performance and Partnerships
Middlesbrough Council
TS1 9FX
References
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2. mailto:[Middlesbrough Council request email]
[1]cid:image001.png@01D2667F.F9FE5480
Dear Ms Lee
REF NO:012287
I am writing to confirm that Middlesbrough Council has now completed its
search for the information you requested on 23^rd January 2018, in
relation to Council tenants.
In your request you asked for the following information:
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
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:
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
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.
Response: Your request is for information relating to evictions from
council tenancies. Middlesbrough Council does not hold the information
requested as it no longer has any housing stock having transferred those
properties it did have to Erimus Housing (a housing association) in
November 2004.
Erimus Housing joined in partnership to create one strong social purpose
business called Thirteen. You may want to contact them directly to request
the information. The address for correspondence is as follows:
Thirteen Group
2 Hudson Quay
Windward Way
Middlesbrough
TS2 1QG
Please note that the Thirteen Group are a private company and are
therefore not bound by the FOIA.
If you have any queries about this response, please do not hesitate to
contact me direct on (01642) 729696/729698 or email
[Middlesbrough Council request email]. Please remember to quote the reference number
shown above in any future communications.
If you are unhappy with the way your request has been handled you may ask
for an internal review within 40 days of receipt of the response. You
should write to:-
Ann-Marie Johnstone,
Corporate Strategy Manager,
P.O. Box 500
2^nd Floor
Civic Centre
Middlesbrough
TS1 9FT
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for an
independent review. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: -
Information Commissioner’s Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF
Yours sincerely
Janette Anderson
Freedom of Information Officer
Finance, Governance & Support
Performance and Partnerships
P.O. Box 500
2^nd Floor
Civic Centre
Middlesbrough
TS1 9FT
Tel. 01642 729696
Email: [Middlesbrough Council request email]
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References
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