Council Homes - Rent Arrears statistics 2015-2018
Case reference FOI2018/00689
Published 26 July 2019
Request
1. What were the total rent arrears from council maintained/owned housing for the financial years: (Please supply as both a monetary figure, and a percentage of council homes rental income). a) 2015-16 b) 2016-17 c) 2017-18
2. What is the current average level of arrears, in monetary value, of tenants receiving: a) Universal Credit b) Legacy benefits (the old Housing Benefit);
3. In your housing accounts, what was the monetary value of bad debt provision (rent that cannot be collected) for the financial years: a) 2015 - 16 b) 2016 - 17 c) 2017 - 18
4. As part of your future financial planning: a) What are the predicted rent arrears levels, ( in both monetary terms, and as a percentage of rental income), for 2022 - 2023, (when Universal Credit is expected to have been rolled out across the country)? b) Of this amount, how much in monetary terms is "bad debt" -i.e. rent that cannot be collected?
5. How many evictions from council properties (with rent arrears being the primary reason) have there been for the financial years: a) 2015-16 b) 2016-17 c) 2017-18 6. Have you undertaken any assessment of the impact of Universal Credit on your current or future finances and services? (E.g. the ability to build new homes, or offer tenant welfare support) If so, then please disclose it.
Response
What were the total rent arrears from council maintained/owned housing for the financial years: (Please supply as both a monetary figure, and a percentage of council homes rental income).
a) 2015-16 £312,215 1.13%
b) 2016-17 £281,860 1.05%
c) 2017-18 £283,820 1.04%
What is the current average level of arrears, in monetary value, of tenants receiving:
a) Universal Credit
b) Legacy benefits (the old Housing Benefit);
The value of arrears as at 22nd July were £252,615. We do not split between UC and legacy HB
In your housing accounts, what was the monetary value of bad debt provision (rent that cannot be collected) for the financial years:
a) 2015 - 16 £23,969 0.7%
b) 2016 - 17 £28,689 0.5%
c) 2017 - 18 £97,514 0.31%
As part of your future financial planning:
a) What are the predicted rent arrears levels, (in both monetary terms, and as a percentage of rental income), for 2022 - 2023, (when Universal Credit is expected to have been rolled out across the country)?
b) Of this amount, how much in monetary terms is "bad debt" - i.e. rent that cannot be collected?
We do not hold this information
How many evictions from council properties (with rent arrears being the primary reason) have there been for the financial years:
a) 2015-16 14
b) 2016-17 10
c) 2017-18 18
Have you undertaken any assessment of the impact of Universal Credit on your current or future finances and services? (E.g. the ability to build new homes, or offer tenant welfare support) If so, then please disclose it.
We have and continue to fund services that help our residents get work ready and back into work. We have dedicated Welfare benefit Money Advisor post to work with our residents who will be going onto Universal Credit.
Documents
This is Guildford Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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