Changes to the housing benefit system could see the UK’s flatsharing population swell by 9.4%. Under the Government’s reforms, the age threshold for the Shared Room Rate (SRR) in Housing Benefit is due to increase from 25 to 35 from April 2012. According to Department of Work and Pensions statistics, approximately 166,930 are currently eligible for the SRR benefit. The reform will mean 260,330 Housing Benefit recipients between 25 and 35 years old will no longer qualify for their own flat or house, but would have to share accommodation instead. Currently, the UK’s flatsharing population stands at 2,765,000. If all those eligible in the new age group took the benefit and moved into shared rented homes, this could rise to 3,025,330 – an increase of 9.4%. The average UK rent for a flatsharer stands at £348 per month. a 9.4% increase in the number of flatmates competing for the same level of accommodation could push rents as high as £381 pcm – on top of the current upward pressure on rent from indebted graduates and deferring first-time buyers. Read the full story on 24dash.
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