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| This callous benefit cap reduction will hit families hard this Christmas | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| From Monday, more than 100,000 households will be materially worse off. Despite the fact that there has been no seismic change in their circumstances, a letter will arrive next week informing them that their housing benefit will be reduced from 7 November. | From Monday, more than 100,000 households will be materially worse off. Despite the fact that there has been no seismic change in their circumstances, a letter will arrive next week informing them that their housing benefit will be reduced from 7 November. |
| The benefit cap, now set at £26,000 a year and affecting mostly households in London or larger families, is being lowered to £23,000 a year in London, and £20,000 outside the capital. | The benefit cap, now set at £26,000 a year and affecting mostly households in London or larger families, is being lowered to £23,000 a year in London, and £20,000 outside the capital. |
| In the three years since the policy was introduced in 2013, house prices and rents haven’t dropped: the move simply means that the 116,000 households now affected will struggle to make ends meet. Where they found it difficult before, they may now find it completely impossible. Some households will lose as much as £115 a week. The idea of clawing that back by reducing household spending assumes that energy and food are expendable luxuries. | In the three years since the policy was introduced in 2013, house prices and rents haven’t dropped: the move simply means that the 116,000 households now affected will struggle to make ends meet. Where they found it difficult before, they may now find it completely impossible. Some households will lose as much as £115 a week. The idea of clawing that back by reducing household spending assumes that energy and food are expendable luxuries. |
| Households capped will find the housing benefit payment they receive, often paid directly to the landlord, is reduced. Simply put, this means those hit by the cap will soon be in mounting arrears, while their ability to pay remains the same. Either their landlord, social or private, absorbs the cost of the arrears, or – more likely – the tenant is evicted. | Households capped will find the housing benefit payment they receive, often paid directly to the landlord, is reduced. Simply put, this means those hit by the cap will soon be in mounting arrears, while their ability to pay remains the same. Either their landlord, social or private, absorbs the cost of the arrears, or – more likely – the tenant is evicted. |
| Evictions have increased by 53% in the past five years. Around 80% of these are carried out by social landlords, and a further 20% by private landlords. Every day in England and Wales, 170 tenants are evicted. By introducing a policy designed to cause households to fall into arrears immediately, the government has made clear it is more invested in being seen as ideologically proper, bashing benefits claimants, than pragmatic. | Evictions have increased by 53% in the past five years. Around 80% of these are carried out by social landlords, and a further 20% by private landlords. Every day in England and Wales, 170 tenants are evicted. By introducing a policy designed to cause households to fall into arrears immediately, the government has made clear it is more invested in being seen as ideologically proper, bashing benefits claimants, than pragmatic. |
| Eviction is costly for everyone involved – as well as the lost income and chasing by local authorities, the long-term psychological harm to tenants, and exorbitant cost of temporary accommodation for those evicted, the health of households stuck in temporary accommodation suffers. | Eviction is costly for everyone involved – as well as the lost income and chasing by local authorities, the long-term psychological harm to tenants, and exorbitant cost of temporary accommodation for those evicted, the health of households stuck in temporary accommodation suffers. |
| So to save a few grand from each household every year, the government risks threatening 116,000 households with homelessness. Around 100,000 children live in temporary accommodation – a grim limbo between homes – and with the reduction in the benefit cap, a third of a million more children may be joining them. | So to save a few grand from each household every year, the government risks threatening 116,000 households with homelessness. Around 100,000 children live in temporary accommodation – a grim limbo between homes – and with the reduction in the benefit cap, a third of a million more children may be joining them. |
| The Chartered Institute of Housing has warned of the risks of the policy, which threatens even those areas with the cheapest housing; areas such as Wales and the north-east. Families in areas with high unemployment and low-cost housing will suffer. | The Chartered Institute of Housing has warned of the risks of the policy, which threatens even those areas with the cheapest housing; areas such as Wales and the north-east. Families in areas with high unemployment and low-cost housing will suffer. |
| Housing benefits exist because so many people find it impossible to meet the high costs of housing, either because of low wages and high rental costs, or because of a lack of jobs in the local economy. Welfare payments are designed to act as a safety net: to stop people in the fifth-richest economy in the globe going hungry or finding themselves homeless. | Housing benefits exist because so many people find it impossible to meet the high costs of housing, either because of low wages and high rental costs, or because of a lack of jobs in the local economy. Welfare payments are designed to act as a safety net: to stop people in the fifth-richest economy in the globe going hungry or finding themselves homeless. |
| Instead, Theresa May’s government is intent on continuing David Cameron’s ideological war on the very poorest, launching unworkable and nonsensical policies like the bedroom tax and now reducing the household benefit cap to appear tough on poverty. | Instead, Theresa May’s government is intent on continuing David Cameron’s ideological war on the very poorest, launching unworkable and nonsensical policies like the bedroom tax and now reducing the household benefit cap to appear tough on poverty. |
| But poverty isn’t a choice: given the choice between a subsistence payment and earning enough to meet your own bills with disposable income left over, the vast majority of people would choose the latter. | But poverty isn’t a choice: given the choice between a subsistence payment and earning enough to meet your own bills with disposable income left over, the vast majority of people would choose the latter. |
| Finding work in many parts of Britain, especially when you have children, is increasingly difficult – and now, 116,000 households and 330,000 children will be pitched deliberately into arrears, jeopardising their housing arrangements. Faced with homelessness and financial destitution, the chances of a merry Christmas will seem far-fetched to some this year. | Finding work in many parts of Britain, especially when you have children, is increasingly difficult – and now, 116,000 households and 330,000 children will be pitched deliberately into arrears, jeopardising their housing arrangements. Faced with homelessness and financial destitution, the chances of a merry Christmas will seem far-fetched to some this year. |
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