Migrants Remain In Hostels to Avoid Losing Housing Benefit

Welfare reforms are causing supported housing to be ‘clogged up’. Efforts to protect European Union migrants from benefit cuts are leading to hostel accommodation and supported housing becoming ‘clogged up’, homelessness experts have warned. Moving European people on from supported housing will in some circumstances result in their housing benefit being cut under welfare reforms that came into effect in April. Migrants from the European Economic Area who are not working are no longer eligible to claim any housing benefit. Migrants who were already claiming before 1 April were given ‘transitional protection’ from the changes until there is a break in their claim, such as a move out of a local authority area or a sanction. Read more on Inside Housing.