Social control

Posted by: Tom Lloyd

12/12/2011

Councils and the government are taking a hard line on making the best use of existing social housing stock.

Westminster has released details of plans to prioritise housing for families who behave as it wants them to, and penalise those who don’t.

Its proposals, put out to consultation today, include means testing existing tenants and increasing rents for high earners, docking housing allocation credits for anti-social behaviour, and giving extra points for volunteering or adoption and fostering.

At a national level the government’s plans on under-occupation, which are due to be debated in the House of Lords this week, show a similar desire to control the behaviour of social tenants.

Under the plans working-age tenants on housing benefit who are deemed to be under-occupying would see their benefits cut. The exact levels have yet to be determined, but 15 per cent for one spare room, and 25 per cent for two, seem to be likely.

The criteria for what rooms are required are strict. One bedroom per adult or couple, and children should share with one other child – of any gender if under nine, or the same gender if under 15.

Clearly this leaves little scope for having friends or grandparents to stay – a luxury most homeowners would probably take for granted – but faced with sharp cuts to benefits many tenants may have little option but to downsize.

A more positive approach is outlined by housing association A2 Dominion. It is offering tenants a financial incentive to move to smaller properties - £1,000 per room given up, plus £500 towards decorating and £700 towards removal costs. It’s not a bad offer, but it is hard to see it appealing to anyone who doesn’t already want to downsize.

Using the kind of punitive techniques outlined by Westminster and the government to control the behaviour of social tenants feels wrong. But at the same time the limited availability of housing does mean it is vital the best use is made of existing stock.

Perhaps sanctions are the only way to really get to grips with under-occupation, although it would be good if the government could take slightly more generous line when defining what families really need.

Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith suggested the government could be prepared to give some ground on this issue during a lecture to the London School of Economics earlier this month.

Let’s hope that hint of a change of heart turns into something more concrete as the Welfare Reform Bill continues its journey through parliament this week.