Each month, the Association posts a news summary of the latest Policy and Governance legislation that could impact / requires action from our member charities, with links to further information where applicable. Please find below our November/December 2020 Summary.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

  • Protection for renters – MHCLG have reiterated the protections for renters, apart from exceptional circumstances, from eviction during national restrictions and over the Christmas period. Evictions cannot be enforced by bailiffs until 11th January, with the 14 days’ notice required meaning that no action should be taken before January 25th.
  • Spending Review/LHA Freeze – The Chancellor made a number of announcements during the annual Spending Review. This year the review only provides funding to Government departments for one year, rather than the usual three years. The most significant announcement for almshouses is that Local Housing Allowance rates will be frozen from April 2021. This decision will result in as cut in housing benefit when taking inflation into account.
  • Immigration and Social Security Co-Ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 – The Government has passed its reforms to immigration ahead of the end of the Brexit transition period. The new rules:
    • End freedom of movement
    • Make EU, EEA and Swiss citizens subject to UK immigration controls
    • Makes a provision to protect Irish citizens’ immigration rights
    • Provides a power to amend retained EU legislation relation to social security co-ordination
    • Any members who employ EU nationals should look into how the change in law may affect them.
  • Universal Credit direct rent payments to social landlords – A change has been made through the Universal Credit Landlord Portal so that social landlords receive direct rent payments on the same cycle as their tenants receive their benefits. Members may wish to make themselves familiar with this system if they feel it would help them more easily collect their WMC. It should be noted that applications to enrol on the system are currently closed.

Coronavirus

Christmas Bubbles

Guidance has been published regarding Christmas bubbles which can be formed between December 23rd and 27th. The Government announced that three households can meet during this period to celebrate Christmas. The following points are also worth highlighting:

  • You can only be in one Christmas bubble and cannot change your Christmas bubble
  • You can travel between tiers and UK nations for the purposes of meeting your Christmas bubble
  • You can only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces
  • You can continue to meet people who are not in your Christmas bubble, outside your home, according to the rules in the tier where you are staying
  • You cannot meet someone in a private dwelling who is not part of your household or Christmas bubble
  • You must not form a Christmas bubble if you have coronavirus symptoms or are self-isolating.
  • Existing support bubbles count as one household towards the three-household limit
  • If someone is in your Christmas bubble, you can visit each other’s homes and stay overnight, including in private rented accommodation. You can also go to a place of worship together, or meet in public outdoor spaces. You cannot meet your Christmas bubble in any other indoor setting, such as a pub, hotel, shop, theatre, or restaurant.
  • You may form a different Christmas bubble from the people you live with normally. If you and the people you are living with want to be in different Christmas bubbles, you can choose to stay somewhere else with different people for this period and form a Christmas bubble with that household and one other household (this will count as three households) – guidance here
  • The guidance notes that “forming a bubble if you are vulnerable or clinically extremely vulnerable carries additional risks – see advice for clinically vulnerable people”

Previous Policy and Governance Updates:

Policy and Governance – October 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – September 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – July/August 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – June 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – May 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – Apr 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – Mar 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – Feb 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance –Jan 2020 Summary
Policy and Governance – 2019 Summary

Posted 11 December 20