Welsh select committee adopts NRLA homelessness recommendations

Five key recommendations outlined by the NRLA have been included in the Welsh Government’s Levelling up, Housing and Communities Select Committee’s report on homelessness.

The recommendations centre on improving data collection and transparency, and increasing housing benefits in full including calls on the Welsh Government to:

• Take action to improve data on the PRS. This should include setting out what data could be collected, how the data could be collected and an update on plans previously discussed to take forward a business case for a Welsh Housing Survey.
• Ensure Rent Smart Wales collects data on the number of private landlords leaving the sector and their reasons for doing so. This data should be published regularly.
• Set out how it is working with the private rented sector to improve the supply of quality, affordable homes. This should include what actions it has explored to incentivise landlords to stay in the PRS.
• Outline what steps it is taking to influence the UK Government to increase the Local Housing Allowance rate to at least the 30^th percentile of local market rents.
• The Welsh Government should explore a role for Rent Smart Wales in improving data on private rented sector rents and report its findings to the committee.

NRLA policy manager James Wood said: “We are delighted the influential select committee sees the value in our proposals and is adopting them as part of its recommendations.

“One of the key pillars of our campaigns work in Wales is our call for a Welsh Housing Survey to expand the evidence base for policymakers, and we are pleased the committee has joined with other housing organisations in Wales to formally back this plan.

“We look forward to working with the Welsh Government to develop workable solutions to support landlords in the Welsh PRS to continue to provide the safe affordable homes to rent for those that need them.”

You can read the report in full here.