Government ‘Peddling Myths' To Sell Housing Benefit Cuts

The coalition Government is misrepresenting the reality of benefit claimants and the impacts cuts will have according to Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people. Coalition ministers have described those reliant on benefits as making a ‘lifestyle choice'. The Prime Minister has said benefit claimants are living off the back of working constituents and living in homes working people "couldn't even dream of". Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “These cuts are huge and deadly serious and will affect people across the country, not just in London. We are calling on the Government to look at the facts and impacts and rethink the cuts now"
Myth: The main change to Housing Benefit is a cap to the maximum amount people can claim. This is necessary to tackle high benefit pay outs.
Fact: *Only 2% (21,060) of households affected by the cuts to housing benefit are affected by the caps
*The average HB award in the private sector is just £109.25 per week and for social tenants is £72.60.
Myth: Housing Benefit bill is "out of control"
Fact: *The main reason the HB bill has grown is higher rents and more claimants in the private accommodation due to a shortage of social housing. Between 97/98 and 07/08 the average private sector rent rose by 63%.
Read more like this on the Crisis website by clicking on the logo below.