Research Library
Your Money Your Home: legacy report
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Description of the programme
Your Money Your Home (YMYH) ran from 2014-2016 to build the financial capability vulnerable private rented sector tenants in Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Newport, and notably to raise awareness of forthcoming benefits changes, especially Universal Credit. YMYH worked with the local authorities and directly supported 475 tenants in receipt of local housing allowance by offering visits and referring tenants to other agencies on the basis of need identified through a survey.
The study
Project officers delivered a questionnaire (primarily designed to identify situation and needs) as part of their first contact with 221 tenants (44% of clients overall). 60 respondents (28% of clients) completed a follow-up questionnaire three to six months later.
Key findings
- 73% of tenants felt very confident reporting problems to their landlord (59%).
- 65% were having their rent paid direct under a local authority safeguarding policy (63%).
- 81% did not have rent arrears (74%).
- 49% were very aware of benefits changes (8%).
- 41% felt they would be able to cope very well after benefits changes (23%).
- 87% had set up and started using a bank account.
- 40% were budgeting by making a list of outgoings.
- 63% said they had a full understanding of the consequences of debt (53%).
- 17% used internet banking (25%).
- 24% were very confident about using the internet to manage money (32%).
Points to consider
- The study does not claim findings to be statistically significant, notably because of the limited number of follow-up responses.
- The findings presented are not explicitly linked to the theory of change.
- The study did not include any quantitative approaches to understand causality. Therefore, it cannot be assumed that the intervention led to the changes described.
- The study provides useful contextual information about the needs and attitudes of private rental sector tenants in the face of major benefits changes.
- The study offers a clear outline of a simple and practical approach to incorporating an evaluation into project delivery.