Benefit Cuts to Inflict 'Irreversible Damage' to Country's Poorest

The Government has been urged to rethink cuts to housing benefit before it inflicts “irreversible damage” to the poorest in the country. From this month, housing benefit caps come in for existing claimants in the private rented sector where people face losing some £12 a week. In the Government's own impact assessment for Local Housing Allowance reform, it put the estimated number of those losing out at 936,960. However, the most severe housing benefit cut, Crisis warns, will be the extension to the Shared Accommodation Rate (SAR) which will hit 62,500 households. This will see single 25 to 35-year-olds become only eligible for housing benefit that covers the cost of a shared room in a house. A research report commissioned by Crisis says this group faces the prospect of trying to find shared houses that in many areas just do not exist. It adds that such accommodation isn't suitable for vulnerable and disabled people. Crisis expects many will end up on the streets. Download a copy of the report from the Crisis website.