Housing Benefit Caps Campaign
Why the campaign?
The Government is in the process of introducing changes designed to reduce the national deficit by limiting the cost to the Exchequer of both housing benefit and the supply of new social housing. There has been little consideration of possible alternatives such as capping rents or taxing land values. These changes will hit the poor hardest, forcing people into debt or privation as their benefit payment no longer covers the cost of keeping a roof over their head and, ultimately, causing internal migration, as families move from high-rent neighbourhoods to cheaper areas.
Homelessness applications to Local Authorities are already up to as much as 30% from last year, as the impact of the crash of 2008 works its way through redundancy, unemployment and arrears to eviction and the street. As the caps on Local Housing Allowance (LHA) introduced in April are implemented, yet more homelessness is bound to result.
There is a proposal that from January 2012 people under 35 without dependents will no longer be entitled to LHA for a separate property; they will have to claim the Shared Room Rate (the imputed cost of a room in a shared house).
The upper age limit for this rate is currently 25 and raising it to 35 will affect many people who have been living independently for years, as well as people moving into independent living after a time of homelessness. We are particularly concerned about parents living apart from their children, who will have to move into properties that are not suitable for their children to stay with or visit them. We fear this will put even more strain on those children and families that are already struggling to maintain relationships.
How can we fight back?
In partnership with London Churches Group for Social Action and Zacchaeus 2000, Housing Justice has developed a resource to assist clergy with supporting people locally. Blueprint for Local Action is the name of the document.
You can do your bit, specifically where the Shared Room Rate is concerned, by contacting your MP, as well Lord David Freud, the minister for welfare reform.
If you do write, please send a copy to Housing Justice and we will keep you informed of any progress. If you email Lord Freud, please copy us in.
Let us have your stories! Real life stories (case studies) are powerful tools when lobbying MPs and other political figures.
