Government Stands by Housing Benefit Cap

The Government has dismissed talk of a climbdown over capping housing benefit despite warnings that the policy will "cleanse" poor people from major cities. Sources close to Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said he was "absolutely determined" to push through tough reforms. The coalition has announced plans that would limit housing benefit at around £400 a week for a four-bedroom home, and cut payouts by 10% when people have been on jobseeker's allowance for more than a year. Labour frontbencher Chris Bryant told MPs yesterday that the cuts would lead to "cleansing" of the poor from areas with high rents, while some Conservative backbenchers with urban constituencies have also expressed concerns. Read more on the Guardian website.