Scottish Women’s Aid condemns ‘devastating’ housing benefit changes

By The Press Association1st February 2016News ScotlandHousing / Homelessness, News Scotland, Social Housing, Vulnerable Adults

Changes to housing benefits could have a “devastating impact” on women’s refuges, with campaigners fearing a funding shortfall could force centres to close their doors.

Scottish Women’s Aid said plans to cap social housing rents will reduce the amount of housing benefit paid to refuges, which are owned by councils or housing associations.

This could result in an annual loss of thousands of pounds for each property, it warned, putting future provision at risk.

Chief executive Dr Marsha Scott has outlined her concerns in a letter to Lord Freud, the Welfare Reform Minister (pictured).

She told him that proposals to extend the local housing allowance (LHA) to social landlords “will have a devastating impact on the future provision of refuge accommodation in Scotland, where all refuge accommodation is in the ownership of either housing associations or local authorities”.

Dundee Women’s Aid manager Mary Miller said it is facing a loss of up to £220,751 a year if the changes, which are due to come into force in April 2018, are introduced.

She said: “This will have a devastating effect on refuge provision in Dundee and indeed the whole of Scotland.

“Refuges in Dundee are owned by the council or housing associations and will therefore be affected by this proposal. Should it become legislation we would have no alternative but to close the 17 refuges we currently provide.”

Dr Scott said the capped rates for housing benefit payments “bear no relation to the actual cost to Women’s Aid groups of leasing accommodation from social landlords and the associated service charge costs”.

Those providing refuges for women and children fleeing domestic abuse face additional costs, Scottish Women’s Aid said, with extra safety and security measures being needed.

In addition, furniture, bedding and household equipment has to be provided, as victims are often forced to leave with few personal possessions.

Dr Scott said: “Without the existing level of housing benefit to cover costs, refuges will be forced to close.”

Scottish Women’s Aid fears other changes could reduce housing benefit payments for women under the age of 35 with no dependent children.

“If women under the age of 35 are unable to access refuge accommodation or move into their own tenancy because of a restriction on their entitlement to housing benefit, this effectively prevents them from leaving an abusive partner, Dr Scott said in her letter to Lord Freud.

“In 2014-15, the 26-30 years old age group had the highest incident rate of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland. Women in this age group clearly have a significant need for domestic abuse support services – including refuge accommodation.”

She claimed: “Sadly, an already dysfunctional system is being made even worse for women and children, with little or no evidence that the impact on women and children living with domestic abuse has even been considered in policy making.”

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “We value the work of the supported housing sector extremely highly and are working closely with them to ensure they are supported as effectively as possible in advance of the policy taking effect.

“The truth is that nothing will change until 2018 and we will provide local authorities with £870 million over this Parliament, precisely so that they can support people in their communities who need time to adapt to reforms.”