Subject to approval by the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive, a new Welfare Reform Bill for Northern Ireland will result in changes to the benefits system. Many of the current benefits will cease to exist and new benefits and payment systems will be introduced.

Some of these changes might affect your overall income, or your future ability to afford the charges previously outlined. We would draw your attention to changes to benefits currently under consideration including:

• Introduction of Universal Credit, this could have implication in and around benefits that cover service charges
• Introduction of Personal Independence Payments
• Changes to Housing Benefit, including “bedroom tax”, when the Welfare Reform bill is made law, these changes could affect Housing Association tenants from 16 to 61 years old.
• Introduction of a Benefit Cap

Further information can be found on the NIdirect website, (www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/welfare-changes) or by contacting your local jobs and benefits office.

Recent changes regarding social size related criteria

Are you one of our tenants and did you receive a letter about the social size related criteria?  Click here for further information.

Also, please find a Q&A advice note from the Department for Communities, available here, regarding the recently introduced Social Sector Size Criteria.

Welfare Change Helpline 0808 802 0020

The Welfare Change Helpline is operated (Mon-Fri from 9am-5pm) by the Welfare Reform Advice Services Consortium (Citizen’s Advice, Advice NI and the Law Centre NI) and is available for anyone who needs help or advice with any of the changes to the welfare system.