Decision details

Opposition Motion from Cllr Barry Rawlings - Rent Arrears and Universal Credit

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: No

Is subject to call in?: No

Decisions:

Councillor Barry Rawlings moved the motion in his name.  Councillor Gabriel Rozenberg moved the amendment in his name.  Councillor Ross Houston moved the amendment in his name. 

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Gabriel Rozenberg was put to the vote.  The amendment was unanimously AGREED.

 

The amendment in the name of Councillor Ross Houston was put to the vote.  Votes were recorded as follows:

 

For

24

Against

37

Abstentions

0

Absent

2

 

The amendment was declared LOST.

 

The substantive motion as amended by Councillor Gabriel Rozenberg was put to the vote. It was unanimously AGREED.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

Council notes the clear evidence that where Universal Credit has been rolled out more people are made homeless because of rent arrears. The main causes of arrears are the five-week delay in first payment of Universal Credit and other delays caused by Department of Work and Pensions error.

 

Council notes that as of October 85 per cent of Barnet Homes’ 321 Universal Credit claimants were in rent arrears and 20 per cent of their arrears had accrued since they transferred to Universal Credit.

 

Council calls on LB Barnet to Council to learn from Camden and other authorities in order to avoid evictions caused by rent arrears as a result of the adoption of Universal Credit.

 

Publication date: 01/02/2019

Date of decision: 29/01/2019

Decided at meeting: 29/01/2019 - Council

Accompanying Documents: