This year's annual ARCH/NFA Welfare Reform survey is now out for
completion.
Our annual Welfare Reform survey has proved
influential in evidencing the impact of welfare reform on council
tenants and council landlords and we have used the evidence
gathered from this annual survey to raise issues of concern with
the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP).
Following publication of the report on the findings of the 2018
Welfare Reform Survey ARCH Chair Councillor Kim Caddy, together
with representatives from the NFA, met with DWP Minister Justin Tomlinson
MP to discuss the findings of the report and several of
the issues highlighted in our report were subsequently addressed by
changes to Universal Credit.
The data that councils have provided us with over the last few
years has enabled us to make the case for policy changes to
Universal Credit, such as the abolition of the 7-day waiting period
and implementation of the two-week roll-on of Housing Benefit. It
has also given us a secure evidence base to work with DWP at the
national Strategic Landlords' Group to improve the mechanics of
Universal Credit, including through the Landlords' Portal. With
managed migration on the horizon, it is more important than ever
that we collect your views and experiences, so we can feed these
back to DWP.
We are keen to ensure a good response to this year's survey and
are therefore asking as many ARCH member councils as possible to
participate.
The 2019 Survey is being sent out to our contacts at ARCH member
councils this week and we are asking for responses by Friday 10 May
2019.
Please help us to make sure that the Government fully understand
the impact of welfare reform on social landlords and tenants by
ensuring that if your council has been asked to complete the
welfare reform survey you do so as quickly as possible.
If your council hasn't received your copy of the survey for
completion or you wish to discuss the survey, please contact ARCH
Chief Executive John Bibby: john.bibby@arch-housing.org.uk.