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Evictions and Out-of-Area Rehousing of Council Tenants affected by Welfare Reform

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Dear Bolsover 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,

Lauren Batchelor

Alison Sipson, Bolsover District Council

Please Ask For:  Alison Sipson
Direct Line:  01246 242383
E-mail:  [1][Bolsover District Council request email]
Date: 26th January 2018
 
Lauren Batchelor
[FOI #459436 email]
 
 
Dear Lauren
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST
 
Your reference number – F/431/1718
 
Thank you for your email of 23rd January 2018 requesting information about
evictions and out of area rehousing of council tenants affected by welfare
reform.
 
Your request is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act
2000. We aim to answer your request within 20 working days from the date
we received it, as prescribed under the Act.  
 
For your information, the Act gives you the right to be told whether we
hold the information (subject to absolute exemptions). The Act also
defines a number of exemptions which may prevent release of the
information you have requested. You will be informed if this is the case,
together with your rights of appeal.
 
If the information you request contains reference to a third party then
they may be consulted prior to a decision being taken on whether or not to
release the information to you. You will be informed if we need more time
to do this.
 
A fee may be charged for disbursements. If a fee is to be charged you will
be notified in writing.
 
If you have any queries about this letter please do not hesitate to
contact us on the above contact details. Please remember to quote the
reference number above in any future communications.
 
Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner
at:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House 
Water Lane 
Wilmslow 
Cheshire 
SK9 5AF 
Telephone:   0303 123 1113
[2]www.ico.org.uk
 
Yours sincerely
 
Marie Romano
Information and Policy Officer
 
 
 
 

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Bolsover District Council request email]
2. http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

Alison Sipson, Bolsover District Council

1 Attachment

Please Ask For:  Alison Sipson
Direct Line:  01246 242383
E-mail:   [Bolsover District Council request email]
Date: 15th February 2018
 
Lauren Batchelor
[FOI #459436 email]
 
 
 
 
Dear Lauren
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST
 
Reference F/431/1718
 
Your request for information has been considered and, to the best of our
knowledge, the information we hold which relates to your request is as
follows:
 
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.
 
Total number of council tenancies that have been evicted due to
non-payment of rent arrears
 
2010/11 - 11
2011/12 - 15
2012/13 - 33
2013/14 - 26
2014/15 - 17
2015/16 - 21
2016/17 - 31
2017/18 to date - 12
 
No information held in relation to number of people recorded as living in
them, as this data is not recorded.
 
 
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
 
Please see attached list.
No information held in relation to number of people recorded as living in
them, as this data is not recorded.
 
Please note no households affected by Benefit Cap or Universal Credit
 
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?
 
Nil for all of above for all periods specified.
 
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.
 
Not applicable.
 
I hope that you are satisfied with our response. However, if you are
dissatisfied in any way with the handling of your information request your
next step would be to clearly state in writing why you are dissatisfied
and the Council will treat this as a formal complaint in accordance with
our Compliments, Comments and Complaints policy. The policy together with
information on how to make a complaint is available on the Council’s
website [1]www.bolsover.gov.uk or by emailing CCCAdmin[2]@bolsover.gov.uk.
 
 
I also have a duty to make you aware of the Information Commissioner's
Office, which is an independent body who monitors the Data Protection Act,
the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations,
and make sure organisations fulfil their legal obligations under the
Acts.  They can be contacted at:
 
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF 
Telephone:   0303 123 1113
[3]www.ico.org.uk
 
Yours sincerely
 
Marie Romano
Information and Policy Officer
 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.bolsover.gov.uk/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.ico.gov.uk/

We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Lauren Batchelor please sign in and let everyone know.