Aidan Gormley (Renew) Estelle Rogers (Renew) Linzi Ladlow (University of Leeds)

Background Most young men continue to live with their own families when they become fathers Those who seek housing support are often disadvantaged in multiple ways and also need support with issues such as education, employment and finances Housing can act as a significant barrier to fathering practices

Archway Support 16 – 25 year olds across Leeds Housing Support Scheme available for up to 2 years Resource centre drop in for advice, guidance (internet/laundry/group activities & excursions) Advocate on behalf of client, liaising with various agencies including: housing options, DWP. Practical support; food parcels, help furnishing tenancy In house specialist services including counsellors & employment adviser.

In the main benefits are paid to couples or to single people with responsibility for a child A deciding factor is who is the Child Benefit paid to For example there is no provision to split Child Tax Credit So a couple who are living apart will have to make private arrangements for shared care However a key issue would still be paying for accommodation if the family has to rely on benefit Young fathers and benefits

Young fathers and housing Where parents are separated, it is possible for a child to live with both parents The housing authority must look at each case individually So a young father can argue shared care in a homelessness application However the rules about Housing Benefit can have a significant effect on the ability to pay

Local Housing Allowance Housing Benefit is paid depending on the size of the property allowed in each case Broadly the number of rooms depends on whether a claimant is responsible for a child and ultimately this will depend on who gets child benefit if in private rented accommodation a single parent without the child benefit will be allotted HB according to the LHA For a single claimant under 35 Housing Benefit will only be paid for one room in a shared house, currently up to £63.96 in Leeds

Welfare reform: “Bedroom tax” In local authority rented property or social housing benefit rules reduce the rent payable to a claimant In effect this means someone without the child benefit claim cannot be paid for a spare room to accommodate a child This affects a number of social groups; families where disability is an issue for example, or indeed grandparents, but also single fathers

Housing Benefit from April 2014 In April 2014 claimants with EU nationality can be barred from claiming Housing Benefit at all This affects many young people who have grown up in the UK but left the family home, they are still seen as a person from abroad This affects young mothers and fathers who find they may not be able to pay for accommodation at all They are often advised to go back to the country they came from From April 2016 Housing Benefit payment will be restricted to those over 21, this will apply to UK citizens and all Though there will be exemptions, it will further affect young people and their young families

Discussion What are the key issues and challenges for housing professionals supporting young fathers? How can we best support young fathers? Ten ‘top tips’?