Housing benefit cuts – I didn’t vote for it did you?

Trish Marchant says:  This government is spreading the false rumour that everyone on housing benefit is on the fiddle and not just trying to make ends meet. This week MPs will vote on cuts to housing benefit and in the Medway Towns there is expected to be an increase in the numbers of families who can no longer afford to rent because of the changes in the way benefit is calculated. Add to this the proposed cap on housing benefit which will affect people in higher rent areas, like London, and you can understand where the “social cleansing” has come from!

I didn't vote for this, did you?

As if that’s not bad enough tenancies will be less protected, the budget for new low cost and social housing has been slashed and new council house tenants will have to pay 80% of market rents. The underlying principle of council house provision was that historically the private sector was deemed unable to provide adequate housing for all and state intervention was required to ensure there was good quality affordable housing for low income households. The concept of affordable housing has been turned on its head by this and previous tory governments. The enforced right to buy scheme reduced the council house stock but not the demand for it. The late labour government could have done more to stabilise the housing stock but didn’t.  There is an injustice to it all which I hope people recognise, even if they are not directly affected now they probably know someone who is.

Tags: Council Housing, Housing Benefits