The Living Rent Universal Credit Evictions Charter

That this House believes that the universal credit benefit system continues to have a disproportionately harmful effect on tenants in social housing; is concerned that universal credit’s five week waiting period has forced social housing tenants who rely on this lifeline benefit into arrears and poverty; notes that research from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations showed that nearly 65 per cent of social housing tenants claiming universal credit are in arrears, compared to 32 per cent of all other tenants; supports the aims of the Living Rent Charter which calls for an end to evictions arising from the design of universal credit; welcomes the support of the social landlords who sign up to the charter, agreeing to abstain from carrying out evictions due to arrears; and calls on housing associations across Scotland, and the rest of the UK, to consider signing up to a similar promise of ending evictions for claimants in arrears on universal credit.