YMCA welcomes the Government’s announcement to delay the introduction of an annual 1% cut to social rents in supported housing.
As the country’s largest voluntary sector provider of safe, supported housing for young people*, YMCA understands the potential impact that such an introduction would have had on our service delivery and estimates that the cut would have resulted in losses of nearly £4 million over the next four years.
This reduction would have led to a loss of existing supported housing schemes for vulnerable young people and reductions in the number of new schemes being developed to meet the increasing demand YMCAs across the country are witnessing.
With further Government plans to cap social rented sector Housing Benefit to Local Housing Allowance rates alongside its ongoing review of supported housing, YMCA believes it is right that the Government has stepped back to look at how the sector is funded in the future.
Denise Hatton, YMCA England Chief Executive, said: “It is positive that the Government has listened to the concerns of the sector and we welcome the fact it has taken appropriate action to protect supported housing.
“Organisations such as YMCA play a vital role in helping young people to move on from homelessness and overcome their often complex support needs. Operating on such tight financial margins means that Housing Benefit forms a vital part of this supported housing funding.
“We hope this time is used to work together to create a funding model that meets the Government’s own pressures while also addressing the needs of the vulnerable people the sector supports 365-days-a-year.”
*YMCA is the largest provider of safe, supported accommodation for young people in England, providing almost 10,000 beds every night.