Thousands heading towards ‘cliff edge’ on welfare reform
Thousands of vulnerable people in NI could end up evicted from their homes in less than a year’s time when welfare reform mitigation runs out, it has been claimed
Advice NI and NICVA, who have examined the impact of the end of the welfare mitigations in March next year, said thousands are heading towards the “cliff edge”.
Kevin Higgins of Advice NI said: “There will be uproar when 34,000 Bedroom Tax households are hit with a financial tsunami.
“Some claimants have already lost their Bedroom Tax mitigation, and their housing arrears have quadrupled as a result.
“We are deeply fearful that if mitigation is lost by 34,000 households we will see mass evictions on an unimaginable scale.
“That’s just in relation to bedroom tax; consider also those lone parents with children whose housing support is cut, for some by over £100 per week, due to the benefit cap: their mitigation also ends in March 2020.”
It is estimated 1,500 benefit cap families with children are set to lose support totalling £3 million.
Mr Higgins said: “On top of that, our most vulnerable sick and disabled claimants – and their carers – will see their mitigation payments end prematurely in March 2020.”
Seamus McAleavey of NICVA added: “Why put our most vulnerable citizens through a prolonged period of uncertainty and fear as the clock ticks down until the end of the mitigations in March 2020?
“These mitigations were hard fought for in the Fresh Start Agreement in 2015 to protect the people of NI from the harshest impacts of welfare reform and action must be taken to avoid a mitigations cliff edge in one year’s time.
“With new mounting challenges, it is critical that current mitigations should continue and in addition, seek to address new challenges, particularly those associated with Universal Credit. We urge everyone with an influence to ensure that a solution is found.”
The Department for Communities, who are responsible for implementing welfare reform mitigations in the Province, commented: “Existing legislation provides that the welfare mitigations will cease on March 31, 2020.
“A decision on the provision of any future mitigation measures from April 2020 will be a matter for incoming ministers.
“In the meantime, the Department will continue to operate and plan on the basis of the existing agreement and legislation.”