Outcome 4 Deliver quality public services

Plans 2018/19 Progress Plans 2019/23 CP Ref

Building Successful Communities

community groups/champions; 18 in Ballymena, eight in Carrickfergus and eight in Larne.

NIHE will launch the Community Involvement Strategy and update for 2018/23. The Community Involvement Strategy was launched in December 2018.

Funding of £24k for 2018/19 for Community Grants which includes £4,307 per area HCN will be made available by NIHE. £14,656 has been spent on Community Grants in Mid and East Antrim.

The Housing Community Network has met four times in the past year and has received updated on the following areas of business: Customer Support and Tenancy Sustainment; Welfare Reform and Universal Credit; Income Collection; Tenancy Fraud; Office performance; and, Business Planning. The Community Involvement Strategy includes a one year action plan which will be monitored. Funding of £20k for 2019/20 for Community Grants and £4,307 per area HCN will be made available by NIHE. 4A 4B

4A 4B

Plans 2018/19 Progress

Increase rent collection to reinvest to improve services.

Reduce arrears to maximise income.

Implement the Tenancy Fraud Action Plan. NIHE collected 98.85% of rent during 2018/19.

Arrears increased by 12% to £926k during 2018/19.

Action Plan in place and statistics reported quarterly to DfC.

Implement the welfare reform project plan as required. NIHE has: • established a Welfare Reform

Project Team; • developed a project plan to manage the introduction of welfare reform; • identified the impact of the changes on our customers and on the business;

Plans 2019/23

Increase rent collection to reinvest to improve services.

Reduce arrears to maximise income.

Continue to report Tenancy Fraud statistics to DfC. Monitor and reduce tenancy fraud. NIHE will: • continue to implement the welfare reform project plan as required; • develop an Income

Collection project plan to deal with the impacts of welfare reform • carry out research to help

CP Ref

Plans 2018/19 Progress Plans 2019/23 CP Ref

NIHE plan to process new public/private HB claims within the 22 day target and HB claim amendment within seven days. Maintain voids below 1% of total stock to make best use of housing stock and increase revenue from rents.

2016/19 Sustaining Tenancy Strategy fully implemented with new ways of working (Build Yes) fully mainstreamed.

Continue to monitor tenants’ satisfaction through the Continuous Tenant Omnibus Survey (CTOS). • developed appropriate processes to implement changes; • instigated measures to lessen the impacts; and, • worked closely with DfC on the implementation of welfare reform and the mitigation processes.

In 2018/19, new claims were processed in an average of 12.8 days. Claim amendments were processed in an average of 2.2 days. NIHE voids at April 2019 were 0.47% of total stock.

The approach outlined in the strategy is now fully operational throughout Housing Executive. A review of the Strategy is complete and findings will be incorporated into the new Strategy.

The 2018 survey found that 86% of tenants were satisfied with the overall service provided by the Housing Executive. Work on the 2019 survey is under way.

the business plan how to deal with the impacts of welfare reform • communicate with staff, tenants and applicants for housing to provide advice and assistance on the impacts of welfare reform; and, • assist DfC deliver the processes necessary to implement reform and associated mitigations. NIHE plan to process new public/private HB claims within the 22-day target and HB claim amendment within seven days. Develop and implement a new Voids Action Plan 2019-2022 in order to maintain voids below 1% of total stock to make best use of housing stock and increase revenue from rents. Develop and implement a new Customer Support and Tenancy Sustainment Strategy 2019-22 which builds upon the success of the previous strategy. Reduce tenancy failure through increasing support for our customers and tenants to solve their housing problems and help them to stay in their own home. Continue to monitor tenants’ satisfaction through the Continuous Tenant Omnibus Survey (CTOS).