A refugee I know – let’s call him Ahmed – took a 2 bed flat from Leeds Homes in spring 2012.  This made sense to him because he hoped that he would be reunited with his wife very soon and they could use the extra space.
And then - late autumn 2012 - he received a letter from Housing Benefit to say that he was going to lose 14% per week of his Benefit from April 2013 because he had one more room than he needed.  But then he got word that his wife might make it to the UK in late December …
Ahmed came to see me at the office with various bits of paper, including an application for Discretionary Housing Benefit.  He worked out that with 3 months until the ‘under-occupancy’ rule kicks in and potentially 6 month DHP, he had just enough time to start a family and keep his current Housing Benefit entitlement going until the baby was born.
 
The ‘under-occupancy’ rule will undoubtedly cause homelessness and debt.  It is going to affect the new refugee community in particular since many refugees think like Ahmed did when he was bidding for a Council house – bid for a 2 bed, even though he didn’t need it yet, because his family will come – at some point.

After working for the organisation for over 5½ years (February 2007 to December 2012), Anne left her job on 31st December 2012.
Anne made a remarkable contribution to the work of Abigail Housing, setting up the asylum seeker ('destitution') project from scratch in Spring 2007 and overseeing the work as it took on new properties - opeing and closing houses are regular intervals as they became available or had to be handed back to landlords.  Anne worked with 91 different residents during her time with the organisation.
From mid December 2012, the asylum seeker work is being managed by Emily Fox.

Council Tax Support
From April 2013, Council Tax Benefit will be replaced by Council Tax Support.  However, the government is giving councils only 90% of the current expenditure on Council Tax Benefit to pay for this.  Pensioners will be protected from any increase in their Council Tax. Leeds City Council is currently consulting on which other groups should be protected.  Reponses have to be made by 08/11/12.  The Council estimates that the reductions in support for all people of working age will be between 10-30%.  This means that all refugees who currently receive Council Tax Benefit will have to pay more Council Tax.  To many on full Housing Benefit, Council Tax charges are almost invisible.  Many refugee Job Seekers Allowance and Employment & Support Allowance claimants will get Council Tax bills for the first time from April.
 
Under occupation
Housing Benefit claimants living in social housing (ALMO or Housing Association) who have a spare room will see their Benefit cut from April 2013 – 14% where they have 1 spare room / 25% where they have 2.  This will affect all single people living in 2 bed council (ALMO) properties.  Refugees, especially those with family still to come to the UK, love to bid for 2 bed council flats.  Those who have been successful but are still waiting for their families will now be penalised.
 
Social Fund
The Social Fund is the home of Crisis Loans (crucial for new refugees waiting for their 1^st benefit claims to be processed) and Community Care Grants (essential for refugees moving into unfurnished social housing).  However, it is moving from the relative security (!) of the DWP to Local Authority care in April 13, with no ring fence.  £2.8m has been earmarked for the Council for 13/14 and the same for 14/15.  There is no detail yet available as to how the Council are going to develop a new scheme.
 
And, if you were worried by any of the above … we’ve got Universal Credits to look forward to from Oct 13!!
 
John Hebden
Abigail Housing
07715 561981
19th Nov 2012