Poverty

Members of the House of Commons voted Wed 1 February to reject the Lords’ proposal calling for social tenants with one spare room to be exempt from new ‘under-occupancy penalties’ linked to housing benefit.

NIFHA is delighted Lord Best’s ‘under-occupancy’ amendments were supported when the House of Lords debated the Welfare Reform Bill last night (14 Dec).

Support a call to reflect the reality of people’s everyday lives...NIFHA calls on all NI Peers to support Lord Best’s goal to secure cross-party support for an amendment on proposed ‘under-occupation’ rules at the Report Stage of the Welfare Reform Bill.

NIFHA welcomes the Chancellor’s announcement Northern Ireland is to get an extra £200m over the next three years to spend on public services.

NIFHA during its support of Homelessness Awareness Week 2011 calls on Westminster Ministers to rethink changes to housing benefit rules that could push many local people into hardship and possibly homlessness.

NIFHA has written to all MPs in Northern Ireland urging them to sign the Early Day Motion (EDM) petition proposed by Steve Gilbert MP regarding the Shared Room Rate age contained in the Welfare Reform Bill.