PRESS RELEASE

COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

 24 May 2007

SD 02-07

CHANGES TO PAYMENT OF HOUSING BENEFIT CAUSES CONCERN FOR ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE

The Committee for Social Development welcomed Minister Margaret Ritchie’s decision to reconsider the introduction of regulations that would see the payment of housing benefit to claimants, as opposed to landlords, become normal practice in the private rental sector. The Committee made its concerns known to the Minister on Thursday during a briefing on the Welfare Reform Bill that is due to be introduced in the Assembly at the start of June.

Having listened to the Committee’s concerns, Minister Ritchie gave an undertaking that she would not bring forward any regulations to change the current method of payment of Housing Benefit until there had been further discussion with the Committee.

Mr Campbell, Chairperson of the Committee said,

“ People on Housing Benefit are necessarily living on relatively low incomes. The Committee had concerns that paying housing benefit directly to claimants, some of whom are already struggling to prioritise their money, could result in rent arrears and evictions. This would undoubtedly put pressure on an already overburdened social housing sector”.

Mr Campbell added,

“There is no evidence to suggest that the current system of paying Housing Benefit to landlords isn’t working. In fact the Department informed the Committee that they have received no complaints about the current payment system”.

Note to Editor:

The Chairperson of the Committee is Mr Gregory Campbell MP MLA.

The Deputy Chairperson is Mr David Hilditch MLA.

The Committee has a further nine members:
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr Fred Cobain MLA
Mr Jonathan Craig MLA
Ms Anna Lo MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Fra McCann MLA
Mrs Claire McGill MLA
Miss Michelle McIlveen MLA

The Clerk to the Committee is:
Marie Austin
Committee Office
Northern Ireland Assembly
Room 412
Parliament Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3XX

Telephone - 028 9052 1864
Fax - 028 9052 1667
E Mail – committee.socialdevelopment@niassembly.gov.uk

Northern Ireland Assembly Information Office, Room B2, Parliament Buildings, Belfast BT4 3XX.

Telephone 028 9052 1137
Fax 028 90 52 1961.
Website Address – archive.niassembly.gov.uk
E-mail – info.office@ niassembly.gov.uk