G15 reconfirms commitment to eviction pledge and support for residents

G15 members have reconfirmed their commitment to the NHF eviction pledge.

In light of the cost of living challenges facing many residents, driven by sky-rocketing energy bills, G15 members have confirmed their continued commitment to the National Housing Federation's (NHF) pledge first made at start of the pandemic, and established as a permanent pledge last summer.

Geeta Nanda OBE, G15 Chair and Chief Executive of MTVH, said:

“We are deeply concerned about the challenges many residents are facing at the moment, and we are here to support residents. G15 members helped residents to secure £44m of budget boosting financial gains last year, and we have made £5.8m available this year in emergency support funds. Through our specialist advice services and colleagues who work closely with people who are facing difficulties paying their rents, we will always support residents and work hard to encourage them to engage with us. We are pleased to reaffirm our commitment to this approach and the NHF pledge.”

Eviction is always the last resort for any G15 member and only comes at the end of an extended period of efforts to support residents and secure engagement. The issuing of proceedings has the primary aim of bringing a resident forward to discuss about the support that can be provided to recover their financial wellbeing when engagement has not been forthcoming. It also provides an opportunity to connect to the other support services we offer as there are often multiple complex challenges.

The pledge includes three key points:

• Keeping people secure at home

No one will be evicted from a housing association home as a result of financial hardship, where they are working (or engaging) with their housing association to get their payments back on track.

• Helping people to get the support they need

Housing associations are helping residents to access benefits and other support to alleviate financial hardship, including supporting people to get into work where possible.

• Acting compassionately and quickly where people are struggling

Housing associations will work with any resident who is struggling to pay rent to make arrangements that are manageable for them in the long term. Legal action will only be taken in serious circumstances – for example as a last resort where a resident will not agree a plan with their landlord to pay their rent, or where it is needed urgently in cases of domestic abuse or of antisocial behaviour that is putting other residents or communities at risk.

The support we can provide is available to shared ownership residents too. If you are a shared owner who is struggling to pay your household costs, please contact both your housing provider and your mortgage provider as soon as possible. The arrangements for shared ownership mean there is both a housing association and mortgage lender involved. Housing associations will need to work closely with the resident and their mortgage lenders when thinking about the best support to offer.

In response to the cost of living challenges facing many people, driven by sky-rocketing energy bills, G15 members have committed a further £5.8 million to support residents facing hardship this year.

Through a range of resident welfare and hardship funds, administered by each not-for-profit housing association, residents can receive support with issues such as emergency fuel and food needs, as well as receiving specialist advice and support. The majority of members have increased the support available in these funds from last year, with increases ranging from 18% to 1,171%.

Alongside this emergency support, new figures have revealed that, during the last year (2021/22), G15 members supported residents to secure £44 million of financial gains by accessing social security support and other budget boosting measures.

G15 members provided 33,767 people with targeted advice support in the last 12 months, including specialist debt advice.

G15 members have also called on government to provide further support for residents through further action on energy bills and through the social security system.