The Welfare Reform Act 2012 heralded the introduction of some of the most significant changes to the administration and distribution of benefits in recent times. Consequently, the National Housing Federation commissioned Ipsos MORI and Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research to assess how these changes will impact across the housing association sector in England. 

The baseline report was published in late 2012 and the results of 15 in depth case study housing associations form the basis of this case report. 

The report highlights the high degree of uncertainty for housing associations around much of the impact of welfare reform, and, in particular, the unknown ways in which tenants will respond. Overall, housing associations had concerns around rising rent arrears in the short term resulting from the size criteria affecting under-occupiers, and in the longer term from the change in payment methods under Universal Credit.