'Back Campaign to Drop 10% Housing Benefit Cut to Jobseekers'

The National Housing Federation is calling on housing associations to back a new campaign to get the government to drop one of its most controversial reforms to the benefits system. As part of the Government’s radical overhaul of the benefits system, people who have claimed jobseeker’s allowance for more than a year will have their housing benefit cut by 10% – despite proving that they have been actively looking for work during that period. The Federation warned the measure would penalise people actively looking for work, adds complexity to benefits administration and threatens to increase homelessness amongst vulnerable people. The policy is expected to be introduced in April 2013. The Federation is now calling on housing associations and anyone who wants to stop the ‘jobseeker injustice’ to write to their local MP and demand the proposal is scrapped. Read more on 24dash.