Morning Briefing: pressure mounts over Universal Credit

News12.10.189.00 AM by Peter Apps

Universal Credit pressure grows as Esther McVey admits it “will make some people worse off”.

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Morning Briefing: pressure mounts over Universal Credit #ukhousing

In the news

Esther McVey, and by extension the government, are coming under increasing pressure over the roll-out of Universal Credit.

Following the intervention this week of two former prime ministers warning of social unrest, the work and pensions secretary has been required to admit that the benefit changes “will make some people worse off”, as per the BBC’s report here.

Ms McVey’s claim is that they will be able to find more work to offset the loss of benefits which is the kind of logic about benefit cuts which never seems to work too well when tested in the real world.

For the lowdown on what could be done to make the policy better, see our analysis from earlier in the year here.

On our homepage this morning, read an incredible and detailed investigation by Nathaniel Barker into issues at Knowsley Housing Trust, which led to the North West housing association being downgraded for fire safety issues.

“KHT is on the road to recovery, but the way looks long and rocky, with more blood, sweat and tears still to come,” the piece concludes.

We are also offering you an analysis of dropping the borrowing cap for new council homes and a pretty crazy decision to use leasehold abuse rules to bar tenants from buying their home under the new Right to Buy scheme.

In local news, Gloucestershire Live has a report on where a new town could be located, and Bradford’s Telegraph & Argus reports on plans to adopt the ’Housing First’ policy in the city.

In Colchester the Gazette asks ’How has it come to this?’ as it reports that 5,000 people are on a waiting list for new homes in the city.

Elsewhere, Politics Home carries an interview with Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable, where he sets his sites on the large bonuses paid to the bosses of house builders, warning them that Britain “will no longer put up with this kind of fat cattery”.

And City Metric has a piece about how difficult it can be to get a private rented home in London, which puts me in mind of a similar piece I wrote many moons ago in this humble title.

On social media

There’s plenty of love for the Inclusive Futures Summit, held in Manchester yesterday:

Thought provoking day at #inclusivefutures event. Agreement that we’ve lost our way on inclusion, but it’s as important as ever. Leaders r 🔑
— Alan Brunt (@albrunt)
Thought provoking day at #inclusivefutures event. Agreement that we’ve lost our way on inclusion, but it’s as important as ever. Leaders r \uD83D\uDD11
— Alan Brunt (@albrunt) October 11, 2018

This day may not change the World, But let’s hope it give it the best push forward it can muster after 40 years of shouting out loud for the #InclusiveFutures ✅ t.co/6xi2nqYMGf
— Luchia Fitzgerald ☘ (@LuchiaFitz100)
This day may not change the World, But let's hope it give it the best push forward it can muster after 40 years of shouting out loud for the #InclusiveFutures ✅ https://t.co/6xi2nqYMGf
— Luchia Fitzgerald ☘ (@LuchiaFitz100) October 11, 2018

Really good to hear interesting female leaders on their views about how we may promote inclusive leadership at the #inclusivefutures summit.
— Chan Kataria (@ChanKataria)
Really good to hear interesting female leaders on their views about how we may promote inclusive leadership at the #inclusivefutures summit.
— Chan Kataria (@ChanKataria) October 11, 2018

Speaking today about LGBT housing issues and equality - first time ever been asked to do this after 28 years in #ukhousing social housing - my own coming out platform #InclusiveFutures @insidehousing #NationalComingOutDay #HousingDay
— Sasha Deepwell (@SashaDeepwell)
Speaking today about LGBT housing issues and equality - first time ever been asked to do this after 28 years in #ukhousing social housing - my own coming out platform #InclusiveFutures @insidehousing #NationalComingOutDay #HousingDay
— Sasha Deepwell (@SashaDeepwell) October 11, 2018

And the Women In Housing awards which followed them:

The pan was too quick but I didn’t want to miss all of tonight’s finalists. AMAZING! Thanks for a super night @EmmaMaier @insidehousing #WIH18 pic.twitter.com/hQxiktFvqE
— Evie Copland (@eviecopland)
The pan was too quick but I didn’t want to miss all of tonight’s finalists. AMAZING! Thanks for a super night @EmmaMaier @insidehousing #WIH18 pic.twitter.com/hQxiktFvqE
— Evie Copland (@eviecopland) October 11, 2018