NEWS FROM THE BUILDING AND SOCIAL HOUSING FOUNDATION

Self-help housing
BSHF has published a report examining the multiple benefits that self-help housing can provide to communities. Self-help housing involves local community groups bringing empty properties back into use, and the benefits can include the creation of work and training opportunities, building of local communities and support for neighbourhood regeneration.
The work was undertaken in partnership with Professor David Mullins of the Third Sector Research Centre.
The report is available to order or for free download from the BSHF website:
http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?thePubID=2F9EC046-15C5-F4C0-991896202739F469

Housing benefit modelling
BSHF has published analysis assessing how changes in the labour market could impact upon Housing Benefit claimant numbers in the UK. If the modelled relationship continues to hold, by the middle of next year there will be almost 250,000 more Housing Benefit recipients than current government estimates suggest. These differences would impact on the level of expenditure on Housing Benefit: expenditure would be £400 million higher than government forecasts in 2011/12, rising to £1.2 billion higher than forecast for 2012/13.
The report is available to order or for free download from the BSHF website: http://www.bshf.org/published-information/publication.cfm?thePubID=4E36E822-15C5-F4C0-9910CF24FAAC301E