Universal Credit is a new single payment for people who are looking for work or on a low income. Universal Credit will help claimants and their families to become more independent and will simplify the benefits system by bringing together a range of working-age benefits into a single streamlined payment. The new Universal Credit…

Following Conservative Party proposals to cut housing benefit for under 25s, charities have united to send a joint letter to the Prime Minister asking him to reconsider. The letter, which was published in The Times newspaper, calls for David Cameron to re-consider his proposals, or risk having a ‘disastrous impact on thousands of young adults.’ Ten charities in total…

ARLA is running its 2nd survey of 2012, which is aimed at residential investor landlords who have an existing portfolio of one or more properties. click here to take part in the survey now

According to government figures released in the department for Communities and Local Government’s English housing, the proportion of people living in the private rented sector rose again last year. The survey shows that 17% of households (3.62 million) lived in the private rented sector in 2010/11, an increase from 2.45 million in 2005. In contrast the number…

The Scottish Government has announced a private rent deposit scheme, which will become compulsory from November. The tenancy deposit scheme is free for landlords and letting agents, and tenants will have access to a free and independent dispute resolution service when the return of a deposit is in dispute, much like the Deposit Protection Scheme currently in…

The Communities and Local Government committee has recommended that the government simplify tax and regulatory structures that apply to private landlords. CLG has put forward proposals in an effort to create an environment in which small private landlords are encouraged to expand their portfolios and invest in new build housing. It said investment by large…

An influential government-commissioned review is set to recommend sweeping changes to planning and funding rules to favour the private rented sector over affordable homes. The proposals are likely to be included in Sir Adrian Montague’s review of the private rented sector, which is expected to be published next month. They include pushing councils to change…

The UK rental market saw a 6.34 % increase in the number of properties advertised between January and March 2012 compared with the same period last year, according to global information services company, Experian. It also found that the number of properties for sale dropped by 2.53 percent. Experian’s Movers Index shows that the number of properties…

The prime minister, David Cameron, has set out plans to scrap housing benefit for 380,000 young people under 25, which could save up to £1.8bn a year on the welfare bill. In a speech today he said working age welfare should principally be for people with no other means of support who have “fallen on hard times”, and that doesn’t neccesarily include under-25’s…

Buy-to-let landlords in East Anglia, London, Yorkshire and the North East are being targeted as HMRC has announced ‘tax forces’ in attempts to clamp down on tax evaders.  Geographic areas will be targeted as each tax force clamps down in order to recover an estimated £17 million. Exchequer Secretary, David Gauke, said: “We have made it clear…