探花直播 of Cambridge - housing /taxonomy/subjects/housing en Energy inefficiency and inability to downsize pose even bigger threat to low-income pensioners than loss of Winter Fuel Payments, study suggests /research/news/energy-inefficiency-and-inability-to-downsize-pose-even-bigger-threat-to-low-income-pensioners-than <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/news/885x428-rooftops-view-from-totterdown-to-bristol-centre-credit-gioconda-beekman-via-flikr-cc-license.jpg?itok=v0xEui3I" alt="Rooftops view from Totterdown to Bristol Centre" title="Rooftops view from Totterdown to Bristol Centre, Credit: Gioconda Beekman via Flikr under a CC license" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p> 探花直播study, published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629624003578"><em>Energy Research &amp; Social Science</em></a>, was completed shortly before the Winter Fuel Payment vote was taken, by researchers from the 探花直播 of Cambridge and Delft 探花直播 of Technology (TU Delft).</p> <p> 探花直播researchers raise particular concerns about the impact of the policy on pensioners with annual incomes of between 拢11,300鈥撀15,000 for single pensioners and 拢17,300鈥撀22,000 for couples.</p> <p>Drawing on data from the English Housing Survey, which sampled nearly 12,000 households across all income groups, the study investigated how income, energy efficiency, home size, household type, and tenure status impacted on energy expenditure.</p> <p> 探花直播researchers found that an increase of 拢1 per year in income (after housing costs, tax and welfare payments) was associated with a marginal increase in heating spending of about one-tenth of a penny.</p> <p> 探花直播study also found that just a small energy efficiency improvement 鈥 a one-point increase in the SAP12 rating ( 探花直播Government's Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings 鈥 had a major impact on households in energy poverty, offering an average reduction in annual heating costs of 拢21.59 per year.</p> <p>Floor area also had an impact. 探花直播researchers found that a one square metre increase was associated with an annual increase in heating spend of 拢5.04 per year, for households facing energy poverty, making this the worst affected group. This compares with 拢4.18 per year for high-income households, 拢3.65 per year for low-income households, and 拢2.99 per year for very low-income households not in energy poverty.</p> <p>鈥淲hen low-income households receive more income, they generally spend a little more to warm their homes. But these households often have to spread any extra money they have across other essential needs including food,鈥 said lead author, Dr Ray Galvin, affiliated with Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).</p> <p>鈥淎 reduction in income like the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment could force low-income pensioners to cut back not only on heating but also on other basic necessities. This poses a significant risk to people who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of living in cold homes.鈥</p> <h3><strong>Energy efficiency</strong></h3> <p>Across all household types, the researchers found that the energy efficiency of the dwelling had by far the biggest impact on heating expenditure.</p> <p>鈥 探花直播most effective strategy to warm up the homes of people living energy poverty is to increase the energy performance of their dwellings,鈥 said Professor Minna Sunikka-Blank, from Cambridge鈥檚 Department of Architecture.</p> <p>Specifically, the authors advise that the SAP12 rating of homes need to be increased to at least 72.</p> <p>Each increase in SAP12 energy efficiency rating corresponds to a reduction in heating costs of around 拢20 per year, meaning that for households in energy poverty, with an average SAP12 rating of 59.48, increasing the rating to the level of low-income households not in energy poverty, 71.45, could reduce heating costs by about 拢240 per year.</p> <p> 探花直播authors make clear that energy savings would not be sufficient to pay for these energy-efficiency upgrades. They would require targeted financial support.</p> <p>Dr Galvin said: 鈥淕overnment and society may well find that these costs are paid back to the country through co-benefits of fewer days off work, longer lives and less strain on the health service.鈥</p> <p>While this would not improve the finances of households in energy poverty as much as the direct monetary allowances such as the Winter Fuel Payment, it would, the authors argue, make a substantial, direct impact on cold, unhealthy homes.</p> <p>Dr Galvin said: 鈥淭here needs to be extra focus on developing policies for the long-term solution of retrofitting energy-inefficient homes. This can provide enduring reductions in energy bills while also improving thermal comfort. This approach may also align better with the goal of reducing carbon emissions and tackling climate change.鈥</p> <p>Prof Minna Sunikka-Blank said: 鈥淲ithout retrofit initiatives, energy poverty will persist in the UK, because in low-income households immediate needs often take precedence over thermal comfort, even when incomes increase.鈥</p> <h3><strong>Home size</strong></h3> <p> 探花直播study found that households in energy poverty have a 7.3% larger average floor area than low-income households not in energy poverty, and that floor area makes a substantial difference to heating energy costs (about half to two-thirds the impact that the SAP12 energy efficiency rating has).</p> <p>Tijn Croon, from TU Delft said: 鈥淭hese findings suggest that inability to downsize may be a significant driver of energy poverty in the United Kingdom. Low-income households can save money and stay warmer living in smaller homes but downsizing is not always easy for older households whose dependants have left home and who find themselves with a large, older home that is very expensive to keep warm.鈥</p> <h3><strong>One-person households spend less on heating</strong></h3> <p>A surprising finding in the study is that across all income groups, one-person households tend to spend less on energy. And for households in energy poverty the reduction (拢36.77 per year) was twice as large as for low-income households not in energy poverty (拢15.65 per year).</p> <p>Tijn Croon, from TU Delft, said: 鈥淭his might suggest that many one-person households are able to control their energy consumption more strategically than a multi-person household can.鈥</p> <p>Dr Galvin said: 鈥淥ur study controlled for other factors so this is not just a case of low-income households living in smaller homes. Further research could survey one-person households to find out if they have skills and practices that could be transferred to multi-person households.鈥</p> <h3><strong>Mitigating impact of Winter Fuel Payment cuts</strong></h3> <p> 探花直播authors suggest several potential solutions. Expanding Pension Credit eligibility to align with the government's low-income threshold would be the most comprehensive fix, though this may be financially unfeasible. Alternative measures could include a temporary application process for the Winter Fuel Payment for those just above the Pension Credit threshold or providing tax credits or rebates for low-income pensioners, which could be more easily managed since HMRC already holds income data.</p> <p>While much attention has been given to the risk of energy poverty among pensioners, the authors also note that families with children and young adults are often equally vulnerable and may face even greater challenges in the housing market compared to pensioners.</p> <p> 探花直播authors are currently working on a follow-up research paper that will explore the recent reforms to the government鈥檚 Warm Home Discount scheme.</p> <h3><strong>Reference</strong></h3> <p><em>R. Galvin, M. Sunikka-Blank, T. Croon, 鈥<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629624003578">Juggling the Basics: How Much Does an Income Increase Affect Energy Spending of Low-Income Households in England?</a>鈥, Energy Research &amp; Social Science (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103766</em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p> 探花直播UK Government鈥檚 policy to scrap Winter Fuel Payments could disproportionately affect low-income pensioners in England, new analysis suggests. But the same study argues that the energy inefficiency of homes and challenges involved in downsizing will have an even more harmful effect this winter.</p> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Without retrofit initiatives, energy poverty will persist in the UK</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Minna Sunikka-Blank</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/clogette/30449082204/in/photolist-NoFviW-2onuqxR-c2gXzh-c2gYBL-eNG279-c2gY6q-c2h1wY-2kbHo2V-c2gWZh-c2gZ1Y-2odTA2j-c2h12N-NB492S-NB4aq3-c2h2K1-pxt4FB-NB49Kf-qcEmij-2odTzUq-c2h3ao-2ontxMm-NB48dC-7J9hQ9-272aguc-23BJECu" target="_blank">Gioconda Beekman via Flikr under a CC license</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Rooftops view from Totterdown to Bristol Centre</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License." src="/sites/www.cam.ac.uk/files/inner-images/cc-by-nc-sa-4-license.png" style="border-width: 0px; width: 88px; height: 31px;" /></a><br /> 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>. Images, including our videos, are Copyright 漏 探花直播 of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways 鈥 on our <a href="/">main website</a> under its <a href="/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions">Terms and conditions</a>, and on a <a href="/about-this-site/connect-with-us">range of channels including social media</a> that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-license-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Licence type:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/imagecredit/attribution-noncommerical">Attribution-Noncommerical</a></div></div></div> Mon, 23 Sep 2024 09:32:48 +0000 ta385 247891 at Insulation only provides short-term reduction in household gas consumption /research/news/insulation-only-provides-short-term-reduction-in-household-gas-consumption-study-of-uk-housing <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/news/insulationpic.jpg?itok=m0cqntSN" alt="Man installing loft insulation" title="Man installing loft insulation, Credit: Getty images" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Insulating the lofts and cavity walls of existing UK housing stock only reduces gas consumption for the first year or two, with all energy savings vanishing by the fourth year after a retrofit, according to research from policy experts at the 探花直播 of Cambridge.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988322005643"> 探花直播latest study</a> is the first to track in detail household gas use across England and Wales for at least five years both before and after insulation installation.</p> <p>Researchers analysed gas consumption patterns of more than 55,000 dwellings over twelve years (2005-2017), and found that cavity wall insulation led to an average 7% drop in gas during the first year. This shrank to 2.7% in the second, and by the fourth year, any energy savings were negligible. 聽聽</p> <p>Loft insulation was half as effective as cavity wall, with an initial fall in gas consumption of around 4% on average, dropping to 1.8% after one year and becoming insignificant by the second year. For households with conservatories*, any gains in energy efficiency disappeared after the first year. 聽</p> <p> 探花直播findings suggests that when it comes to home insulation there may be a significant 'rebound effect': any savings through energy efficiency get cancelled out by a steady increase in energy use.**</p> <p> 探花直播UK Treasury recently announced some 拢6 billion in funding to reduce the energy consumption of buildings and industry by 15% over the next eight years, with a major focus on insulation retrofits across the residential sector.聽</p> <p>Researchers behind the study, published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988322005643">Energy Economics</a></em>, say it is extremely difficult to identify specific causes of the 'rebound effect' they found, but behaviours such as turning up the heating, opening windows in stuffy rooms or building extensions may all contribute.</p> <p>They argue that good insulation is vital, but any drive to insulate UK homes should be combined with investment in heat pump installation and campaigns to encourage behaviour change <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-takes-major-steps-forward-to-secure-britains-energy-independence">if 2030 targets for energy independence are to be met</a>. 聽聽</p> <p>To capture the overall effect of insulating homes, the researchers accounted for various factors, including the age and size of buildings, the weather and gas prices.</p> <p>However, they did find that gas price influenced energy use 鈥 so the soaring cost of gas may mean greater energy reductions from insulation now than during the study period. 探花直播research also found household gas consumption fluctuated less after both loft and cavity wall insulation. 聽聽聽聽</p> <p>鈥 探花直播recent spotlight on increasing the energy efficiency in UK buildings is both welcome and long overdue, and there are very real benefits to households from good insulation, not least in terms of health and comfort,鈥 said study co-author Prof Laura Diaz Anadon, Director of the Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance.</p> <p>鈥淗owever, home insulation alone is not a magic bullet. High gas prices will reduce the rebound effect in the short term, as homeowners have the need to keep costs down at the front of their minds. In the long term, simply funding more of the same insulation roll-out to meet the UK鈥檚 carbon reduction and energy security targets may not move the dial as much as is hoped.鈥</p> <p>Anadon and her Cambridge co-author Dr Cristina Penasco say that insulating old and draughty housing across the UK is a vital step, but argue that not encouraging homeowners to 鈥渇ully degasify heating鈥 while going through the disruption of a retrofit is a missed opportunity.</p> <p>Heat pumps, which extract warmth from outside to heat internal radiators, are highly efficient and negate the need for gas boilers. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-022-01104-8">Recent research</a> suggests the UK lags behind many other European countries on heat pump sales, and the <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/2022/03/09/taking-stock-of-the-uk-governments-heat-and-buildings-strategy/">UK Committee on Climate Change</a> has also highlighted the need to speed up heat pump deployment.</p> <p>鈥淲hen trying to get middle income households to conduct energy renovations, as the government are currently doing, it makes sense to further encourage heat pump installation at the same time," said Penasco, the study鈥檚 first author from Cambridge鈥檚 Department of Politics and International Studies.</p> <p>鈥淭his could be through incentives such as more generous and focused grant schemes, as well as obligations for boiler manufacturers and additional investments in skills for installers.鈥</p> <p>鈥淲e found that energy efficiency retrofits are often combined with home improvements that actually increase consumption, such as extensions.鈥*** Scotland currently offers grants and interest free loans for heat pumps, while the rest of the UK has reduced VAT in the form of a tax rebate.</p> <p>Residential housing accounted for almost a third (29.5%) of the UK鈥檚 total energy consumption in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency. In the UK, 85% of households use gas as their main heating source.聽</p> <p> 探花直播study used data collected by the UK鈥檚 Department of Energy and Climate Change, and compared energy use in individual households before and after insulation, as well as comparing households that did have efficiency renovations with those that did not.</p> <p>Researchers found that, compared to wealthier areas, households in more deprived areas had half the reductions in gas use: an average of 3% during the first and second year after insulation. Neighbourhoods where deprivation was highest had the lowest reduction in gas consumption.</p> <p>鈥淗ouseholds in more deprived areas often have to limit energy use, so any savings created by home insulation can quickly get redirected into keeping a house warmer for longer,鈥 said Penasco</p> <p>鈥淭his is a good outcome if policies are aimed at reducing fuel poverty in low-income households, but will not help with the UK鈥檚 emissions reductions targets or reliance on gas.鈥 In fact, when it came to household income, those in the bottom 20% increased gas consumption straight after insulation. 聽</p> <p>鈥淣ational caps on gas prices will not incentivise people to conserve energy,鈥 said Penasco, who argues that energy reduction targets could be set for individual households, and associated with waivers on energy bills in the long run, particularly for low income households.</p> <p>Added Anadon: 鈥淧eople do not deliberately squander energy savings. There is a need for education to lessen the rebound effect we have documented. Media appearances by ministers to discuss flow temperatures of boilers are positive signs that parts of the government are starting to think about this.鈥</p> <p>聽</p> <p><em>*Conservatories are one of the most popular home improvements in the UK. Data from 2011 suggests that almost 20% of households in England had some form of conservatory, and 80% of those had some form of heating.</em></p> <p><em>** 探花直播'rebound effect' is a fundamental concept in economics, and was first identified by William Jevons in 1865, when he observed that more efficient steam engines increased rather than reduced coal use, as engines were put into more widespread use. 聽</em></p> <p><em>*** Previous research suggests that extensions in the UK increase household energy consumption by 16% on average.聽聽聽</em></p> <p><em><strong>For more information on聽energy-related research in Cambridge, please visit聽<a href="https://www.energy.cam.ac.uk/">Energy聽IRC</a>, which brings together Cambridge鈥檚 research knowledge and expertise, in collaboration with global partners, to create solutions for a sustainable and resilient energy landscape for generations to come.聽</strong></em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>First study to look at long-term effect of home insulation in England and Wales finds fall in gas consumption per household was small and only lasts a few years.</p> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">We found that energy efficiency retrofits are often combined with home improvements that actually increase consumption, such as extensions</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Cristina Penasco </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/" target="_blank">Getty images</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Man installing loft insulation</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" style="border-width:0" /></a><br /> 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a>. Images, including our videos, are Copyright 漏 探花直播 of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified.聽 All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways 鈥 as here, on our <a href="/">main website</a> under its <a href="/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions">Terms and conditions</a>, and on a <a href="/about-this-site/connect-with-us">range of channels including social media</a> that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div> Sun, 01 Jan 2023 09:52:05 +0000 fpjl2 236221 at Mini 鈥榤od鈥 homes can help rough sleepers get off the streets for good /stories/modhomes <div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Small, inexpensive units made from factory-built components can help to restore the health, relationships and finances of formerly homeless residents, according to a new study.聽</p> </p></div></div></div> Tue, 19 Oct 2021 08:28:41 +0000 fpjl2 227581 at Beyond the pandemic: tackle the digital divide /stories/BeyondThePandemic-digital-divide <div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Increased working, learning and interacting online during the pandemic has widened the gap for those who lack digital skills or access, writes Gemma Burgess, an expert on social inequality and housing in the UK. She suggests strategies to tackle the digital divide and avoid millions of the poorest in the UK being left even further behind.</p> </p></div></div></div> Thu, 13 Aug 2020 08:00:52 +0000 lw355 216762 at Living on the edge /stories/new-horizons <div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Some of the most deprived areas in England are located in the eastern region. 探花直播New Horizons project has been helping those furthest away from the job market to get back into work.</p> </p></div></div></div> Fri, 29 Mar 2019 09:00:14 +0000 lw355 204242 at How to tend an economic bonfire /stories/economic-bonfire <div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Business, enterprise and employment are flourishing in Greater Cambridge, but housing and infrastructure are struggling to match the jobs boom, and gaps in social equality keep widening. 探花直播 academics are connecting their insights, data and algorithms to find solutions to the area鈥檚 鈥済rowing pains鈥.</p> </p></div></div></div> Fri, 01 Mar 2019 13:05:07 +0000 lw355 203672 at Areas of Britain most affected by 鈥榖edroom tax鈥 are hardest to downsize in, research finds /research/news/areas-of-britain-most-affected-by-bedroom-tax-are-hardest-to-downsize-in-research-finds <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/news/1511570498223e0295e7eo.jpg?itok=7wyC54CW" alt="Newcastle - large housing estate" title="Newcastle - large housing estate, Credit: markus spiske" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Research commissioned by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) on the implementation and effects of housing benefit cuts for those working-age tenants judged to have 鈥榮pare鈥 bedrooms in social housing <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/485939/rsrs-evaluation.pdf">has been released today</a>.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Part of the Welfare Reform Act of 2012, the cuts in housing benefit 鈥 termed the Removal of Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS) by the DWP, and dubbed by some as the 鈥楤edroom Tax鈥 鈥 has proved divisive, leading to public protests throughout the country. 探花直播policy impacts on around half a million households in the UK.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播latest report is the second and final piece of research into the impact of the RSRS by Cambridge 探花直播鈥檚 <a href="https://www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/">Centre for Housing and Planning Research</a>, in association with Ipsos Mori. Commissioning the research was a condition imposed by the House of Lords for passing the Welfare Reform bill. An interim report of Cambridge research was published by the DWP in July 2014.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播new report, which brings the analyses up to November 2014 to cover the first twenty months of RSRS implementation, shows a drop in affected households of 14.2% during that time 鈥 from 547,000 to 465,000 鈥 with the greatest reduction in London.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Landlord surveys suggest that between policy enactment in April 2013 and autumn last year up to 45,000 had downsized within the social sector 鈥 no more than 8% of those affected by RSRS. A further 87,000 affected claimants were still seeking to downsize in November 2014.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥楬igh pressure鈥 areas such as London and the South East, where overcrowding is a major issue and space is a premium, have the lowest number of tenants affected by the RSRS and the highest rates of successful downsized rehousing.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Researchers say this is mainly down to the types of housing stock prevalent in these areas: more one-bed properties within local authorities, and more tenants available to swap with overcrowded families, which may ultimately have a 鈥榩ositive knock-on effect鈥 in such areas.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>However, in much of the rest of the UK, particularly areas such as Wales and the North East of England where overcrowding is not such a problem, there is a gulf between the size of households and that of available social housing stock: a dearth of much needed one-bed properties and a surplus of three-bed properties, the hardest to let under the RSRS.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淲hile research found similar rates of registration for downsizing, it鈥檚 much harder for some tenants to downsize than for others,鈥 said Anna Clarke, co-author of the report from Cambridge鈥檚 Department of Land Economy.<img alt="" src="/files/inner-images/4082659653_5d9a55b000_o.jpg" style="width: 250px; height: 250px; float: right; margin: 5px;" /></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Under the RSRS, children under the age of ten聽are expected to share a room. Those of the same gender under 16 are also expected to share. Pensioners, however, the group most likely to 鈥榰nder-occupy鈥 according to research, are exempt from the cuts.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Clarke points out that to be correctly occupying a three-bed property, for example, a family would need three children or two different gendered children over ten.聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淩ehousing would normally be within a local authority, so the problem is compounded in areas with limited types of property. Some areas have stock consisting largely of suburban council estates full of three-bed houses. Yet most people at the point of applying for housing are single, or young families with one or two small children, and so would be considered to be under-occupying a property that size,鈥 Clarke said.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Many local authorities told researchers there are not enough one-bed properties for single people and childless couples who need a home, particularly now they are competing with downsizers since the RSRS. 探花直播research found that social landlords are often reluctant to put people into shared housing, seeing it as a retrograde step.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淭here is not much hope of finding a smaller property,鈥 one local advice agency told researchers. 鈥淭his week there is one one-bedroom flat available on the CBL system, and there are 120 bids on it.鈥</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Young people 鈥 particularly single young people 鈥 will struggle the most to access social housing as a result, says Clarke. She recently completed research for the charity Centrepoint showing that a quarter of 16-24 year olds in the UK <a href="/research/news/a-quarter-of-young-people-in-the-uk-have-experienced-unsafe-homelessness-finds-study">have experienced 鈥榰nsafe homelessness鈥</a>, sleeping in cars and sofa-surfing as a result of having nowhere to go.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淎ccess to homes for young people is getting harder in every direction: the cost of owning, demands on private renting. 探花直播RSRS restrictions are another barrier,鈥 said Clarke. 聽聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p>While the majority of households prioritise their rent and have budgeted for the RSRS, and the report suggests landlords have been largely successful in transitioning tenants, the evidence shows that many of those affected are struggling.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播research found that 76% of those still affected by the RSRS in 2014 reported cutting back on food, and 46% cutting back on energy use, in order to pay the shortfall. 鈥淭hat 拢60 a month I have to pay (RSRS) would cover food for two weeks or it would mean I could keep the house warm. It just feels like I鈥檝e had two weeks of money taken off of me,鈥 one affected tenant told researchers.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>A quarter said they had to borrow money, mostly from friends and family, but at least 7% cited lenders such as payday loans. Around 40% of claimants reported currently being in arrears on their rent.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Some parents were forced to cut back on activities with their children, which they found upsetting. 鈥淚 panic about struggling to pay for things鈥 We don鈥檛 spend any money at Christmas,鈥 said an affected claimant. 聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥 探花直播RSRS affects a third of working-age tenants on housing benefit 鈥 a tenth of the whole social sector. This is a huge amount of people affected compared to other welfare reforms such as the benefit cap, which 鈥 thus far 鈥 has been tiny in comparison,鈥 said Clarke.聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p><img alt="" src="/files/inner-images/bedtaxinset.jpg" style="width: 590px; height: 190px;" /></p>&#13; &#13; <p>Local authorities have a resource to help those most in need, often in the form of one-off payments known as Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP). 探花直播Government made substantial increases to funding allocation to local authorities for DHP, and the researchers found that this mitigated some of the initial hardship during implementation of the RSRS, with 23% of those still affected in 2014 having received some form of DHP.聽聽聽 聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p>However, the future allocation of DHP beyond April 2016 is uncertain as yet, and many local authorities were concerned that, with pressure on finances, it would be reduced.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>In Scotland, it鈥檚 a very different picture. 探花直播Scottish Parliament is strongly opposed to the RSRS, but currently lacks the power to opt out, so has topped up DHP funding to completely ameliorate the effects of the policy 鈥 indicating clearly to landlords that all tenant shortfalls are to be subsidised using DHPs.聽聽 聽聽聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Consequently, to all intents and purposes, the RSRS is not practically in effect in Scotland, says Clarke, although Scottish landlords still have to ensure that all tenants have the correct DHP paperwork.聽聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p>One of the Government aims was to incentivise people to work through the RSRS, but researchers found no evidence of this. While a tiny percent 鈥 three percent overall 鈥 had found work, an almost equal amount had lost it. 鈥淢any said they were actively seeking work in response to the RSRS, but they don鈥檛 seem to be finding it,鈥 said Clarke.聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播researchers didn鈥檛 find much evidence of empty housing stock, as some had feared. While 42% of landlords reported difficulties in letting some properties because of the RSRS, Clarke says this would appear to translate to landlords looking harder for tenants 鈥 allocating larger properties to those in less urgent need of housing, or through websites and letting agents 鈥 as the overall proportion of vacant properties appears to have changed little.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Overall the research concludes that landlords have also been largely successful in transitioning people to the RSRS, the impact has been manageable and people prioritise their rent, says Clarke. But this comes at a cost to tenants.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淟andlords aren鈥檛 going bust. There aren鈥檛 great swathes of empty houses across England, or enormous rent arrears causing mass evictions. But that鈥檚 not the same as saying the impact for individual tenants is manageable, and the evidence is that many people are really struggling as a result of this policy,鈥 said Clarke.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淢ost people can鈥檛 downsize, or move away from families and schools, or suddenly find work after years of looking. So they just have to keep cutting back their spending. And people on benefits don鈥檛 have a lot of spare cash beyond paying for the essentials in life.鈥</p>&#13; &#13; <p><em><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/485939/rsrs-evaluation.pdf">Read the full report on the DWP's website here.</a></em></p>&#13; </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Research commissioned by government following housing benefit reforms finds increase in tenants self-selecting to downsize, but the areas hardest hit by reform are those least equipped with appropriate housing stock. Researchers found households increasingly cutting back on essentials such as food and heating to make up benefits shortfall.聽</p>&#13; </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Access to homes for young people is getting harder in every direction: the cost of owning, demands on private renting. 探花直播RSRS restrictions are another barrier</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Anna Clarke</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/markusspiske/15115704982/in/photolist-p2HWt9-3Qqqoe-8A5Jy-aF4zn-6HSmzi-rci4nP-nHpv6W-bBL6M-ozMNB2-fLPc43-6K9gSh-dyrY6u-6cweT4-9FvdJ-inpRU-fNz9mt-51hUVU-fNRJey-9FxCQ-4YkYnJ-9Fz7e-9FvdG-aw3WT2-hd9eBu-oytV6p-fQPKhr-dbB4P-6sFL5U-kbkBqn-hsE75Z-ozNvsj-fLwAgp-fLPdsh-kQRNtr-fLwQSB-fLNunh-njFnKr-fof8sP-7Q9xqB-dEYKn5-pgmyuy-fNRrD7-5FacC-oUjHVA-56Mmw2-9FzHm-fNRuEU-5y3DPU-8qmodm-5hHSW5" target="_blank">markus spiske</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Newcastle - large housing estate</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" style="border-width:0" /></a><br />&#13; 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a>. For image use please see separate credits above.</p>&#13; </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div> Thu, 17 Dec 2015 11:38:30 +0000 fpjl2 164242 at Right to Buy could mean a loss of 75,000 low-cost homes and a higher Housing Benefit bill, according to new research /research/news/right-to-buy-could-mean-a-loss-of-75000-low-cost-homes-and-a-higher-housing-benefit-bill-according <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/news/23745083728b91fee3d9o.jpg?itok=bQADa9Jd" alt="New houses pile up at Fontagarry" title="New houses pile up at Fontagarry, Credit: Ben Salter" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p> 探花直播new analysis, recently published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and conducted by researchers at the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research (CCHPR) in the Department of Land Economy, is the first to look at the impact of building replacements homes as shared ownership.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播report, <em><a href="https://www.jrf.org.uk/housing/understanding-the-likely-poverty-impacts-of-the-extension-of-right-to-buy-to-housing">Understanding the likely poverty impacts of the extension of Right to Buy to housing association tenants</a></em>, estimates that there will be 75,000 fewer low-cost homes becoming available to let over the next 5 years if the homes built to replace those sold are available as shared ownership rather than as low-cost rentals.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Taking into account the incomes of social tenants, the affordability of homes and the take-up rate of Right to Buy (RTB) by council tenants, researchers predict that 128,000 Housing Association tenants are likely to buy their homes under RTB over the next 5 years 鈥 fewer than one in 10 of all tenants. 聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播research shows that there are currently around 180,000 housing association tenants who could afford to exercise their RTB. Around half of these will be required to pay higher rents under the Governments new Pay to Stay scheme, and the higher rents they will face are likely to encourage them to buy their homes if possible.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播policy will have a huge impact on people who need to access low cost rented homes in the future, say the JRF. Building replacement homes for sale as shared ownership will mean that people seeking a social rented home will be pushed into the bottom end of the private rented sector, where homes are typically more expensive, less secure and in worse condition than Housing Association homes. 探花直播report finds that over the next five years if replacement homes are built for sale:</p>&#13; &#13; <ul>&#13; <li>62,000 tenants will have to find an average of 拢1,668 extra a year to pay private rent. Around a third of these households are paying their rent themselves from their generally low earnings.</li>&#13; <li> 探花直播other two thirds are in receipt of housing benefit, meaning that 拢31 million will be added onto the housing benefit bill as more people who claim housing benefit are pushed into the more expensive private rented sector or remain longer in homeless accommodation.</li>&#13; <li>Just three percent of new social tenants could afford to buy the replacement properties if they were available as shared ownership.</li>&#13; </ul>&#13; &#13; <p>In contrast, if the homes are built back at the same rent levels as those lost, there is only a temporary loss of lettings 鈥 caused by the delay whilst replacement housing is built. Under this scenario the estimated housing benefit costs of the policy fall to around 拢16 million and the increase numbers renting privately or in homeless accommodation is close to zero by the end of five years. 探花直播number of available lettings will increase after five years as new rented homes continue to be built.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播replacement homes will be funded by the sale of high-value council homes, likely to be classified as homes that are valued in the top third regionally. Local Authorities have different proportions of high value housing stock, meaning that some face losing a large amount of their social housing, while others will be forced to sell very little, or own none to start with. 探花直播five worst affected areas are all in the London commuter belt, and face losing more than half of all their low-cost lettings.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥 探花直播research has shown that the rent level of replacement stock is critical. Replacement homes for sale or shared ownership will not be affordable to those seeking social rented housing,鈥 said Anna Clarke, Senior Research Associate at CCHPR.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淩eplacement on a like-for-like basis could have a positive impact on the availability of social lettings, over the next five to ten years, though in the long term the subsidy for Right-to-Buy discounts cannot forever be found by selling off high value council stock without continually stretching the definition of high value,鈥 she said.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Julia Unwin, Chief Executive of the JRF, said that this research shows how important it is to keep up the numbers of genuinely affordable rented homes.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淭o make sure that this policy doesn鈥檛 drive up poverty in the long term, the Government must ensure that every low-rent home sold is replaced by another of the same tenure, same cost and same locality,鈥 said Unwin.</p>&#13; &#13; <p><em>Adapted from a Joseph Rowntree Foundation press release.聽</em></p>&#13; </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Replacing housing association homes sold under the new Right to Buy scheme with those for sale could drive up costs for low-income tenants and the taxpayer, according to a new report.聽</p>&#13; </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> 探花直播research has shown that the rent level of replacement stock is critical. Replacement homes for sale or shared ownership will not be affordable to those seeking social rented housing</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Anna Clarke</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/ben_salter/2374508372/in/photolist-4BPYBw-4ATeVx-nUcNkc-sgFaNY-9AFzBy-s2tJwW-n1vj4-sj3VAx-6F8CHb-aimUNL-6EuCFV-c2pwvw-pAKN6a-5x68X-4FHAG2-4J3htK-8tHY8n-bX6ToA-teYUrb-dDccpi-78ff-bXZHnG-4qGeKK-qC3xr-4Szsjy-ag74rL-7gcjnv-bzGR1G-qyghtX-a6yqar-nfiTq8-bWmgf7-8777Kp-wLhyUw-4kN1G3-93UiTR-ruU8wB-9VfSKr-5Gzvmu-hDf2J-7i5STt-rP7qjt-Bk1Q5i-aqmXwn-8upPSg-AGZbeY-p3mRD4-4KjRyr-7ak5DC-nQ5en6" target="_blank">Ben Salter</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">New houses pile up at Fontagarry</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" style="border-width:0" /></a><br />&#13; 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a>. For image use please see separate credits above.</p>&#13; </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-license-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Licence type:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/imagecredit/attribution">Attribution</a></div></div></div> Mon, 23 Nov 2015 11:45:22 +0000 fpjl2 163042 at