Government Rejects Direct Payment Amendment

Peers have failed in a bid to give tenants the right to have their housing benefit paid direct to their landlord. Crossbench peer Lord Best moved an amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill which would have guaranteed payment of housing benefit to the landlord if the tenant requests it. Landlords fear that lender confidence will be hit if, as the government plans, payment is made to tenants as it could reduce certainty over their cashflow. Lord Best cited research by consultancy Policis which found that 93 per cent of social tenants wanted housing benefit paid to their landlords. Read more on Inside Housing.