Minister's statement on Universal Credit welcomed

Published: Mon, 22 Oct 2012
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The housing element of Universal Credit will go directly to the landlord in Northern Ireland.
Braniel Estate in East Belfast
The Housing Executive welcomes the commitments announced by DSD Minister Nelson McCausland to the Northern Ireland Assembly today in relation to Universal Credit.
Commenting on the commitment to pay the housing element of Universal Credit automatically to landlords, our Chief Executive Dr John McPeake said, "This is good news for tenants and landlords in all sectors in Northern Ireland. The proposal to pay the housing costs in Universal Credit directly to the claimant rather than the landlord was a cause for concern for the Housing Executive and other social landlords.
"Many households, particularly those who are more vulnerable, may have had difficulty budgeting, possibly compromising their tenancy. We were concerned about the real risk of a significant increase in rent arrears and the implications this could have in terms of sustaining tenancies and homelessness. The Minister’s intervention will be widely welcomed."