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STATES OF JERSEY
PROVISION OF CARPETS IN ANDIUM HOMES PROPERTIES
Lodged au Greffe on 23rd May 2023 by Deputy R.J. Ward of St. Helier Central Earliest date for debate: 13th June 2023
STATES GREFFE
2023 P.34
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion −
- to request the Minister for Social Security, prior to the lodging of the next Government Plan, to –
- implement provision of special payment grants to any Andium Homes tenants who require carpets in new rentals and who would otherwise be eligible for a loan from the States of Jersey for such purpose; and
- terminate any outstanding loan payments relating to the provision of carpets; and
- to request the Minister for Treasury and Resources, in consultation with the Minister for Social Security, to work with Andium Homes to review their policy relating to –
- provision of flooring as standard in all properties; and
- reuse of carpets after cleaning.
DEPUTY R.J. WARD OF ST. HELIER CENTRAL
REPORT
Written Question 36/2023 identified 74 Andium tenants are currently repaying loans for carpets for the accommodation they rent from Andium homes, our social housing provider.
This proposition removes the loan element for providing a carpet in a new home for those previously eligible, replacing it with a grant. Secondly, it also looks to provide the facility to clean the existing carpets that may be in the home should they be in good repair and not in need of replacement.
The extra cost to tenants for carpets can often be combined with loans for other white goods (furniture, appliances, etc.) and can mean a significant increase in the cost of the tenants’ loan repayments. It may be that this is part of the social security payments received. A circulation of monies from one government department to another. Removal of this bureaucratic process will improve lives of tenants.
Following an FOI in June 2022, the following amounts have been loaned to income support claimants who live in social housing to pay for replacement carpets between 2016 and 2021 –
- 2016 - £80,303.07
- 2017 - £73,398.97
- 2018 - £92,584.91
- 2019 - £75,647.45
- 2020 - £97,406.24
- 2021 - £88,667.90
The following list shows the total number of income support claimants who live in social housing who have applied for loans to pay for carpets between 2016 and 2021-
- 2016 - 102
- 2017 - 81
- 2018 - 103
- 2019 - 80
- 2020 - 83
- 2021 - 93
- 2022 - 74
This data does have its limitations, however, as it is unclear from this data how many loans are ongoing and counted in each year and not new loans.
Under the current system income support claimants in social housing have their loan deducted from other ongoing claims. The Draft Income Support (Miscellaneous Provisions No 2) 201- states that “These loans will be repaid by making a small reduction in the household’s ongoing weekly Income Support benefit”[1]
This information regarding any loans provided to a claimant of income support is currently held on their individual record and not on a separate register.
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Financial and manpower implications
From the previously mentioned FOI request, the cost will be minimal of an average of £80,000 per year. It is unknown how much of this is from income support and no net cost to government.
Andium Homes has an estimated £50 million per year income. So, the carpet costs total 0.16% of this estimate.