FOI Request Impact of Welfare Reform
Request 101001723589
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 16-02-2018
1. We are unable to provide the total number of people living in our council tenancies that have been evicted due to rent arrears, however we can provide you with an annual breakdown of the total number of council tenancies, and how many tenancies have been ended each reporting year due to non-payment of rent arrears: (JF)
As at 31 March |
Number of council tenancies |
Number of tenancies evicted due to rent arrears only – these figures may not match those on the Scottish Gov. website as they include evictions for other reasons also. |
2010 |
5759 |
5 |
2011 |
5743 |
5 |
2012 |
5756 |
7 |
2013 |
5884 |
9 |
2014 |
5909 |
4 |
2015 |
5957 |
9 |
2016 |
6019 |
6 |
2017 |
5981 |
9 |
Statistics are available on the Scottish Government website: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration
We are unable to match details from Question 1 to answer Question 2, 3 & 4.
I have provided the following tables giving totals as follows:
- Table 1: All reasons for approach to our Housing Options Team (PREVENT1 reported to the Scottish Government)
- Table 2: Outcomes of cases closed from Table 1.
- Table 3: Reasons for approach to our Housing Options Team from those stating they are from a Local Authority dwelling (Moray)
- Table 4: Outcomes of Table 3.
- Table 5: Reason for approach to our Homelessness Team for those stating they are from a Local Authority dwelling (Moray)
- Table 6: Outcomes of those who presented as homeless (Table 5) with reason for approach “Arrears”.
Table 1-From Scottish Government PREVENT1 Quarterly Report for Moray (to last data published 30/09/2017) |
||||
Reason for Approach (All reasons) |
2014/ 15 |
2015/ 16 |
2016/ 17 |
1 April-30 Sep 2017 |
Termination of tenancy / mortgage due to rent arrears / default on payments |
22 |
18 |
16 |
11 |
Other action by landlord resulting in the termination of the tenancy |
8 |
7 |
10 |
3 |
Applicant terminated secure accommodation |
103 |
75 |
74 |
46 |
Loss of service / tied accommodation |
15 |
11 |
10 |
4 |
Discharge from prison / hospital / care / other institution |
11 |
8 |
8 |
9 |
Emergency (fire, flood, storm, closing order from Environmental Health etc.) |
7 |
1 |
3 |
7 |
Forced division and sale of matrimonial home |
7 |
9 |
10 |
4 |
Other reason for loss of accommodation |
5 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
Dispute within household: violent or abusive |
130 |
139 |
130 |
62 |
Dispute within household / relationship breakdown: non-violent |
284 |
272 |
305 |
109 |
Fleeing non-domestic violence |
1 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
Harassment |
5 |
5 |
3 |
5 |
Overcrowding |
21 |
10 |
12 |
4 |
Asked to leave |
150 |
145 |
131 |
67 |
Other reason for leaving accommodation / household |
11 |
15 |
10 |
11 |
General housing options advice |
3 |
7 |
2 |
7 |
Benefit issues (excluding Welfare Reform) |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Welfare Reform – Under-occupancy penalty |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Property condition - disrepair |
16 |
5 |
10 |
3 |
Property condition – lacking amenities |
1 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
Property condition – fire/flood |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Accommodation unsuitable - Overcrowded |
34 |
29 |
19 |
16 |
Accommodation unsuitable – Mobility/ Adaptation Issues |
9 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
Accommodation unsuitable – Location |
8 |
8 |
7 |
4 |
Household experiencing anti-social behaviour / neighbour problems |
16 |
8 |
13 |
8 |
Household experiencing hate crime |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Household member needing care |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
Personal issues – affordability / financial difficulties |
34 |
31 |
24 |
19 |
Risk of losing accommodation - eviction/ repossession |
172 |
138 |
138 |
66 |
Risk of losing accommodation - tied/ service tenancy |
18 |
8 |
10 |
3 |
Risk of losing accommodation - asked to leave - parents |
88 |
83 |
76 |
43 |
Risk of losing accommodation - asked to leave – other family |
22 |
22 |
26 |
17 |
Risk of losing accommodation - asked to leave – friends |
16 |
19 |
14 |
8 |
Landlord issue - Harassment from private sector landlord |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
Landlord issue - Illegal eviction – private sector landlord |
7 |
7 |
2 |
3 |
Other |
6 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Total |
1238 |
1099 |
1084 |
556 |
Table 2: From Scottish Government PREVENT1 Quarterly Report for Moray (to last data published 30/09/2017) |
||||
Outcomes (Number) |
2014/ 15 |
2015/ 16 |
2016/ 17 |
1 April-30 Sep 2017 |
LA tenancy |
34 |
48 |
30 |
15 |
Private rented - assured tenancy |
10 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
Moved-in with friends/ relatives |
76 |
104 |
121 |
52 |
Tenancy with voluntary organisation other than above |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Other (known) |
12 |
13 |
10 |
7 |
Not known |
35 |
20 |
17 |
11 |
RSL (Housing Association) tenancy |
13 |
4 |
13 |
7 |
Private rented - short assured tenancy |
66 |
65 |
97 |
40 |
Women's refuge |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Home Ownership - Shared Ownership |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Home Ownership - Bought own home via other means |
3 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
Supported accommodation or Support Housing |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
Sheltered Accommodation |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
Shared Property - LA |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
Shared Property - Private Rented Sector |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Lodger |
8 |
16 |
4 |
3 |
Prison |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
Hospital |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Lost contact with applicant |
99 |
99 |
77 |
45 |
Remained in current accommodation |
209 |
248 |
238 |
129 |
Made homelessness application to local authority |
450 |
493 |
466 |
218 |
All |
1017 |
1121 |
1094 |
537 |
Table 3: From Moray Council Business Objects system- Applicants stating from Local Authority dwelling presenting to Housing Options Team. |
||||
Primary Reason for Approach |
2014/ 15 |
2015/ 16 |
2016/ 17 |
01/04/17- 26/01/18 |
Accommodation unsuitable-Mobility/Adaptation issues |
|
1 |
2 |
|
Accommodation unsuitable-Location |
|
1 |
1 |
|
Accommodation unsuitable-Overcrowded |
2 |
1 |
||
Applicant terminated secure accommodation |
5 |
7 |
5 |
7 |
Discharge from prison/hospital/care/other institution |
1 |
1 |
||
Dispute within household/relationship breakdown: non-violent |
10 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Dispute within household: violent or abusive |
6 |
4 |
4 |
10 |
Emergency (fire/flood/storm/closing order from EH etc.) |
4 |
1 |
||
Fleeing non-domestic violence |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
Harassment |
2 |
1 |
||
Household experiencing anti-social behaviour/neighbour problems |
4 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
Household member needing care |
|
1 |
||
Loss of service/tied accommodation |
1 |
|||
Other action by landlord resulting in termination of tenancy |
|
1 |
2 |
|
Other reason for leaving accommodation/household |
1 |
2 |
||
Property condition-disrepair |
|
2 |
1 |
|
Risk of losing accommodation-asked to leave-parents |
1 |
|||
Risk of losing accommodation-eviction/repossession |
1 |
2 |
||
Termination of Tenancy/Mortgage due to arrears |
6 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
Grand Total |
44 |
22 |
28 |
38 |
Table 4: Outcome description of those who presented from LA tenancy (Table 3) |
||||
Outcome description of Table 3 |
2014/ 15 |
2015/ 16 |
2016/ 17 |
01/04/17- 26/01/18 |
11 Moved in with Friends/Relatives |
2 |
3 |
6 |
|
13 Other (Known) |
2 |
|||
14 Not Known |
2 |
1 |
||
15 RSL(Housing Association) tenancy |
|
1 |
||
16 Private Rented - Short Assured Tenancy |
|
1 |
2 |
|
30 Lost Contact Prior to Final Outcome |
3 |
1 |
2 |
|
98 Remained in Current accommodation |
15 |
8 |
8 |
12 |
99 Made homeless application to local authority |
19 |
11 |
12 |
16 |
Grand Total |
44 |
22 |
28 |
38 |
Table 5: From Moray Council Business Objects system- Homeless applicants stating from Local Authority dwelling. |
|||||
Reason for Homelessness |
2013/14 |
2014/15 |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
01/04/17- 26/01/18 |
APP TERMINATED SECURE ACCOMMODATION |
|
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
ASKED TO LEAVE |
5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
DISPUTE IN H/HOLD: NON-VIOLENT |
8 |
11 |
9 |
16 |
9 |
DISPUTE IN H/HOLD: VIOLENT/ABUSIVE |
6 |
8 |
14 |
17 |
10 |
EMERGENCY - FIRE/FLOOD ETC. |
4 |
6 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
FLEEING NON-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE |
|
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
HARASSMENT |
2 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
OTHER REASON FOR LEAVING ACCOMMODATION |
3 |
5 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
OTHER REASON FOR LOSS OF ACCOMMODATION |
|
1 |
|||
OVERCROWDING |
|
1 |
|||
TERM TCY - OTHER LANDLORD ACTION |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
|
*TERM TCY/MORTGAGE ARREARS/PAYMNT DEFAULT* |
2 |
8 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
Grand Total |
31 |
50 |
39 |
63 |
35 |
Table 6: Outcomes of Table 4 -*TERM TCY/MORTGAGE ARREARS/PAYMENT DEFAULT* |
|||||
HL1 Q23 |
2013/ 14 |
2014/ 15 |
2015/ 16 |
2016/ 17 |
01/04/17- 26/01/18 |
LA TENANCY |
|
2 |
|
|
1 |
MOVED IN WITH FRIENDS/RELATIVES |
|
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
NOT KNOWN |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
OTHER (KNOWN) |
|
1 |
|||
RETURNED TO PREVIOUS/PRESENT ACCOMM |
1 |
2 |
|||
RSL TENANCY |
|
1 |
|||
Grand Total |
2 |
8 |
1 |
5 |
4 |