Connecting support: Why your tenants are falling into arrears and what you can do about it
23 July
Rising rent arrears, increasing income volatility and upcoming changes to disability benefits are creating new challenges for housing providers and local authorities across the UK.
Recent analysis by Policy in Practice highlights how built in features of the welfare system, such as real time income assessment, benefit deductions and policy reforms, are contributing to financial instability among tenants, particularly those already facing structural barriers like disability, caring responsibilities or single parenthood.
For many low income households, the issue isn’t budgeting, it’s that their income is eroded before it arrives. Over half of Universal Credit recipients are repaying debt through automatic deductions, leaving them short for essentials like rent. Others are impacted by erratic payment cycles or policy shifts, increasing the risk of arrears and even homelessness.
In response, Policy in Practice and Pocket Power have partnered to create a more joined up approach to tenant support. By integrating income maximisation tools with accessible referral routes, housing providers can now take a more holistic and proactive approach to preventing arrears and supporting tenancy sustainment.
Listen back to hear
- The current policy landscape and how it impacts tenant incomes
- How integrated tools like the Better Off Calculator and Pocket Power referral service support a smoother customer journey
- Real world insights from guest housing providers who are using smart software to coordinate applications and reduce repeat data collection
Guest speakers
Listen back to our speakers
The benefit system is entirely reactive and that’s not the way it should be. Everything we’re doing is about making the system more proactive, targeting support at people, offering it to them, linking them up and cutting out duplication. We need to move away from the expectation that someone should just know what support is out there, whether they’re eligible, how to access it, and then actually act on it. We’re building a more proactive model.
It’s silly for us all to try and be everything to everyone. It’s inefficient and doesn’t make sense. Let’s bring our expertise together and wrap support around the needs of the end user, which is exactly what we’ve done with the Better Off Calculator. By combining digital tools with phone support, we make the service more accessible, save customers time and stress and reduce the need for them to repeat their story. It’s better for customers, more efficient for staff and it delivers more powerful outcomes.
As a result of our intervention, we were able to increase a widower's income by £22,716, which, in his words, was life changing and made one of his darkest times a little bit lighter. That’s what we’re all here to do, help people sustain their tenancies and lessen the impact of arrears. There’s no miracle cure, but I truly believe that the right support at the right time makes all the difference. For us, that starts at tenancy sign up. Let’s get the support out there and talk to people.
