Social landlords in Liverpool have launched an IT system which allows them to share benefit data more quickly in order to combat the impact of welfare reforms.
The Liverpool Housing Associations’ Welfare Reform Group, made up of 15 social landlords including Liverpool Council, is rolling out the computer system. The software enables landlords to share data instantaneously.
From next April, social housing tenants of working age with spare rooms will be docked an average of £14 a week out of their housing benefit. Next October sees the phasing in of universal credit, under which benefit is paid to tenants rather than landlords. Landlords need to calculate which of their tenants are likely to be underoccupying and who is likely to go into rent arrears.