Rhian Hughes
&
Jocelle Lovell
WHY ENGAGE WITH THE
HOUSING SECTOR?
• Welsh Government estimates 2012/13 there were 412,779
rented households in Wales. Of these 223,170 (54%) are
rented from local authorities or social landlords and 189,610
(46%) are in the private sector.
• 2011/12 in excess of 7,500 people were directly employed
by RSL’s in Wales (Community Mutual s Commission)
• StepChange Debt Charity – between 2010 and 2013 the
percentage of clients in rented accommodation with arrears
increased from 18.4% to 24.9% in Wales. In 2013 the
average rent arrears of StepChange clients in Wales was
£599. (Overall in 2013 there was a 44% increase in the
number of people contacting StepChange’s helpline).
• Bevan Foundation report for the Public Policy Institute Wales
estimates that there are 400,000 people in Wales in arrears
and/or feel that debt is a heavy burden and about half of all those
in debt have household incomes of less than £20,000 a year.
• Shelter Cymru and Citizens Advice report ‘Meeting housing costs in
Wales’ (2013) found that nearly half of Welsh adults who pay rent
or a mortgage struggle to keep up with payments or are falling
behind at least some of the time while 1 in 8 (12%) struggle
constantly.
• A report from Legal and General (Deadline to the Breadline Report
2014) showed that people in Wales have the lowest levels of
savings across the UK with a median of only £520 and are on
average only 15 days away from the breadline.
Welfare Benefit Reform
Reduction
in income
Change in
mechanism
of payment
Understanding needs and limitations
HOUSING
● Financial
● Resources
● Data sharing
● Products
Understanding needs and limitations
CREDIT UNION
● Financial
● Resources
● Data sharing
● Products
What’s in it for me?
● Housing
● Credit Union
● Tenants
Meeting the needs of your
communities & staff.
• First and foremost under UC all tenants will need a bank/CU
account in which to receive their benefits payment.
• Increased rent collection
• For your tenants who are not able to open/use a bank
account and are at risk of non payment, the rent account is
the closest product available to direct payments.
• Membership available to tenants and staff alike ( payroll
deduction).
• Supports wider FI of your organisation, by raising awareness
of the products and services available, lower cost loans.
• Negating the need to use doorstep/payday/loan shark.
• An opportunity to increase tenant engagement.
Growth & sustainability
• Opportunity to promote membership to
both staff and tenants.
• Increase membership and level of savings
• Payroll deduction makes it easy
• Increase tier 1 Loans
• Increase visibility and awareness
• Opportunity to work with other partners
Tenants
• Improved financial capability
• Access a range of products that meet their
varying needs (not one size fits all)
• Help to prioritise rent and other payments
• Sustained tenancies
• Improved wellbeing
Activity / Breakout
1. What do you think are the barriers to
you working with the housing sector?
2. What do you think the barriers are to
the housing sector working with you?
3. How do we overcome these barriers?
Barriers to partnership working
● Dynamics of organisations – both
housing and CU
● Personalities
● Capacity
● Financial
Let’s talk about money…
What’s happening elsewhere?
● North Wales CU & Cartrefi Conwy
● Tackling Homelessness Project (THFI)
● + other examples from audience
What next?
• Engage with Housing sector before
Universal Credit
• Engage with Local Authority
• Promote rent accounts
Budgeting
Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit
0300 123 3311
www.moneymadeclearwales.org
Any questions?
Rhian Hughes
North Wales Financial Inclusion Champion
rhian.hughes@walescooperative.org
Jocelle Lovell
Project Manager, THFI
Jocelle.lovell@walescooperative.org