Are you ready for Welfare Reform?

1. Are you ready for Welfare Reform? The biggest changes in welfare provision in 60 years are almost upon us. The size criteria rule or ‘bedroom tax’ starts in April, the weekly benefit cap commences in the summer, and the Universal Credit will be implemented in October when we will also see the beginning of the end of landlord direct payments. Have you assessed the impact on your tenants? The Government has said that it will save £490M per annum from the social housing “bedroom tax” alone. How much of your rent roll is in that figure? The weekly benefit cap of £500 per week for couples/parents and £350 per week for single people without children will affect 33,000 tenants in the social rented sector nationally. How many of these tenants are yours? Many Registered Providers have already conducted analyses and are now implementing plans to prepare themselves and their tenants for the coming changes. Others have yet to start. Where are you? What can Altair do to help? We have developed a model to undertake a fast and effective review in order to quantify the risks and potential impact, and to assess your preparedness for the changes. We can give you and your board the reassurance that you are ready or identify gaps and necessary actions to get you ready. We can provide: • Speedy analysis on the likely impact on your organisation • A rapid independent “health-check” of your plans and preparedness with support for your in-house team • Financial impact estimates • Profile of properties / tenants for targeted actions • A risk assessment model with mitigating actions • An outline response strategy, incorporating financial inclusion measures • Further support can be provided, if required, on initiatives and actions to implement the strategy • A structured report for your Executive team and/or Board. How long will it take? With your cooperation the whole project including the submission of the “Board-ready” written report can be completed in just one week. What would we need from you? Access to key people for brief structured interviews, sight of your existing procedures, copies of any existing welfare reform reports and copies of any local authority data sharing reports which you may have received. How much will it cost? From as little £2K plus VAT To find out more contact Chris Wood at chris.wood@altairltd.co.uk, 07932 693 292 or Steve Douglas at steve.douglas@altairltd.co.uk, 07810 152 840. Altair will be exhibiting with Entitledto at the ‘Welfare Reform: Are you ready?’ conference organised by the NHF on the 14th February 2013. If you are planning on attending, come and speak to Graham Hishmurgh about how Altair can help you be ready for Welfare Reform.