The WCN Winter Assembly looked at proposed changes to housing benefit and out-of-work benefits, and work being done locally for homeless people.

This assembly report includes links to all the presentations given during the assembly, notes of questions and answer sessions, and notes of Karen Buck’s speech on housing benefit. It also includes a short summary of what people said about the event on their evaluation forms.

KEY POINTS FROM THE ASSEMBLY

• Worried about someone sleeping rough? The council runs a 24-7 rough sleeping helpline. Call 020 7641 3841 to get someone help.
• Housing benefit changes will affect around 5,000 households in Westminster. Voluntary and community groups need to use word-of-mouth to help people understand what the changes are about.
• If you know a family affected by housing benefit changes, please tell us about it. Politicians and the media aren’t interested in the numbers of people affected – they want to hear real-life examples.

PRESENTATION ON WELFARE REFORM

Shirley Springer, Chief Executive of Westminster CAB spoke about proposed changes to housing benefit, out-of-work benefits and the proposed universal credit.

Download the presentation on welfare reform

KAREN BUCK ON HOUSING BENEFIT CHANGES

Karen Buck, MP for Westminster North explained how proposed housing benefit changes would impact on Westminster.

• The changes in housing benefit come at the same time as the withdrawal of legal aid for welfare, debt and housing, and reduced funding for advice services.
• Westminster has one of the largest private rental markets in the country.
• Social housing in Westminster has fallen by 20,000 units over the last 30 years, and private tenancies have filled that gap.
• The new housing benefit cap will reduce the money available for a one-bed property in Westminster by £78 a week, a two-bed by £140 a week and a three-bed by £260 a week.
• There are currently 1,360 families in two-bed accommodation and 150 in three-bed accommodation.
• Landlords are unlikely to be willing to reduce rents by that much, especially because people on housing benefit represent only 25% of the rental market in Westminster. 
• There is a risk on increased rough sleeping.
• Families are faced with the choice of: moving to smaller accommodation (and living in more overcrowded accommodation) or of moving to cheaper accommodation outside central London.
• Families with children, people with mental health problems and older people who can no longer afford to pay their rent have the right to be rehoused by the council as “homeless”. It is likely they will be housed in temporary accommodation, possibly outside London.
• Because temporary accommodation is more expensive, it is possible that housing costs will actually increase under the new system. 
• Karen Buck has been asking Westminster City Council to develop a coherent advice strategy. 
• If people have examples of how these changes are affecting families, they should share them with Karen Buck.

FAITH GROUPS AND HOMELESSNESS

Complex causes of homeless and the work of faith groups Alastair Murray of Housing Justice spoke about the complex causes of homelessness, and the work done by faith groups to support homeless people.

Download the Housing Justice Presentation

ROUGH SLEEPING IN WESTMINSTER

Westminster’s approach to homelessness Nik Ward from the council spoke about homelessness in Westminster, and the council’s approach to working with rough sleepers.

Download the presentation on rough sleeping in Westminster

STREETWISE OPERA

Using the arts to engage homeless people Ellie Raymont and Kevin Woodward spoke about the work of Streetwise Opera, which uses the arts to engage with and support the personal development of homeless people.

Download the Streetwise Opera presentation

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Download notes of the question and answer sessions to find out what homelessness services are available for women, and how housing benefit changes will affect young people in supported accommodation.

Read notes of questions and answers

WORKSHOP NOTES

Children and young people workshop notes

Community Safety and cohesion workshop notes

Health and wellbeing workshop notes

Employment and skills workshop notes

EVALUATION

People thought the event met its aims, and that lunch was amazing. Having two discussion groups in the same room is too noisy – we shouldn’t do this in future.

Download the evaluation report