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<p /> <p /> <p>Across the social sector as a whole there are a total of around 1.4
million one-bedroom properties (GB). Managing that stock efficiently is part of the
challenge that social landlords must embrace. Landlords were given three years notice
to start to prepare for this change and during that time were encouraged to take account
of local needs and demographic trends when allocating properties and developing their
building programmes.</p><p> </p><p>There is turnover of properties in the social sector,
and with suitable management and prioritisation by social landlords this should provide
a means of allowing many of those affected by the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy
to move to suitable properties over time.</p><p> </p><p>The 2012 Impact Assessment:
stated there was little robust evidence on which to base an assessment of behavioural
responses and so did not predict the likely extent of downsizing. The 25 per cent
figure within the Impact Assessment reflected research which asked a hypothetical
question about what people thought they might do in response to a reduction, but this
was undertaken some time before the full details of the policy were finalised.</p><p>
</p><p>The Impact Assessment did look at the potential sensitivity of the estimated
savings to moves by affected claimants. This sensitivity testing was based on an assumption
that around 50,000 affected claimants moved (around 8 per cent). This was not a prediction,
but both the interim evaluation report and ad-hoc analysis show that people are downsizing.
The ad-hoc report shows around 19,000 had downsized in the Social Rented Sector between
May and December 2013, broadly within the bounds of the Impact Assessment sensitivity
analysis.</p><p> </p><p>It was never assumed that downsizing was a remedy for everyone
and we were not in a position to predict how many people would choose to move.</p>
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