Benefit Reforms Threaten Westminster Families

The majority of families on housing benefit in Westminster will lose their homes under proposed welfare reforms, councillors have warned. Changes to the local housing allowance for families in the private rented sector, announced in last week’s Budget, include limits of between £280 and £400 a week, depending on house size but opposition councillors in Westminster have calculated that 84 per cent of the 5,430 housing benefit claims in the borough would breach these limits. Of the 59 families renting five-bedroom properties, only two would be making benefits claims under the new limits. For those in one-bedroom flats, 2,227 claims would be over the limits. The councillors are warning that the cuts could force families to leave Westminster, and could even leave some people homeless. Read more on Inside Housing.