Information Request NPH00-285/20
I am writing to respond to your request for information received on Wednesday 12th February 2020 which has been dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI).
Your request has been given the unique Information Request No. NPH00-285/20. Please quote this reference on all correspondence relating to this request.
You have requested the following information. Our response is shown in bold.
For each of the following points in time:
Now
End of the reporting year 2018/19
End of the reporting year 2017/18
End of the reporting year 2016/17
End of the reporting year 2015/16
Please could you tell me:
1.How many council tenants (including those in council-run emergency/temporary accommodation if applicable) were in arrears on their rent?
Northampton Partnership Homes are unable to provide the information requested above. We are only able to record the above information when an individual is placed in council accommodation, when housing becomes available. Those in emergency accommodation are not recorded as tenants.
2. What was the total sum owed in arrears?
3. How many of those tenants were Universal Credit claimants?
4. What was the total THEY owed?
The data provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge, however NPH are not advised by DWP when tenants move off Universal Credit. If a tenant does not advise NPH, we may assume they are still on Universal Credit.
The lowest arrears position is usually achieved at year end, so caution is required in comparing 19/20 week 46 to previous year end figures.
Question 1 to 4 – Information contained in the table below.
| Total no. in rent arrears | Total rent arrears | No. claiming UC and in arrears | Rent arrears of those claiming UC | |
| 19/20 to week 46 | 4170 | £1,474,559 | 1348 | £717,886 |
| 18/19 to year end | 2968 | £1,115,689 | 534 | £302,588 |
| 17/18 to year end | 3220 | £1,147,358 | 160 | £85,618 |
| 16/17 to year end | 3046 | £1,037,278 | 152 | £96,923 |
| 15/16 to year end | 3200 | £1,023,815 | 78 | £59,551 |
Please could you also tell me:
5. How does the council plan to cover the current shortfall in rent owed in arrears?
The Council has a provision for bad debts in its Housing Revenue Account which it reviews each year. The provision is based on an aged analysis of arrears and considers debt written off in year to ensure that prudent provision levels are maintained.
6. When was Universal Credit rolled out in your authority’s area?
Live Service November 2015.
Full Service November 2018.
The disclosure to you of the enclosed information does not give you a right to reproduce or publish such information without the express permission of Northampton Borough Council or any other owners of the copyright therein. To do so you will need a licence under the ‘Reuse of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015’.
If you consider NPH has not provided the information you have requested you have the right to challenge that decision in respect of your information request within 6 months.
Please write to:
Information Access Challenges
Northampton Partnership Homes
The Guildhall
St Giles Square
Northampton
NN1 1DE
Otherwise please email: information@nph.org.uk. Emails to this address are automatically acknowledged.
If your challenge is not resolved to your complete satisfaction, you will then have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner.
If you feel your request has been handled unfairly you should, in the first instance, complain using NPH’s Customer Feedback form and address it to the department you have been dealing with. NPH’s Complaints procedure (a full copy of which is available by telephoning or writing to NPH’s Data Management Officer) will then be used to try and resolve your complaint.
Yours sincerely,
Santina Chambers
Data Management Officer
Northampton Partnership Homes
01604 838794 | 0300 330 7003
www.northamptonpartnershiphomes.org.uk