SDLP MLA Justin McNulty claims the British government’s planned cuts to benefits will have a significant impact on social housing provision in his Newry and Armagh constituency and will hit some of the most disadvantaged people the hardest.
Having attended a meeting with the Chartered Institute of Housing, he said its latest report warns of a deepening housing crisis across the north.
“There is a real need for investment in new build social housing and indeed increased maintenance of the existing housing stock,” Mr McNulty said. “There are many people on waiting lists for suitable housing, be they single storey houses, family homes or dwellings for people with complex needs. The latest wave of Tory cuts will have a devastating impact on social housing provision here. We need to stand up and speak out for those who are facing the burden of welfare cuts from a cruel and callous Tory Government and we need an Executive that will take urgent action to protect them.”
Fearing the cuts will increase the risk of rent arrears, eviction and homelessness, and have a knock on effect on the ability to build more social housing, he added: “The report recommends that urgent action needs to be taken to introduce changes in Northern Ireland and to do that we need an Executive.”
Nicola McCrudden, Chartered Institute of Housing Director for Northern Ireland said the planned changes to housing benefit will put people’s homes at risk and threaten the ability to build new social housing in some areas.
“Currently tens of thousands of working-age social housing tenants are protected against the bedroom tax – however these additional changes will see pensioners affected for the first time and single people under 35 strongly impacted. Unless action is taken, tenancies will be put at risk,” she said.
“The absence of the Stormont Executive isn’t helping – we need a devolved administration up and running to prepare for these legislative changes. It is vital to ensure we keep roofs over people’s heads and that we scale up the level of social house building that we desperately need.”