Minister Fears Housing Benefit Plan Risks Rise in Homelessness

The proposed change away from paying most housing benefits directly to landlords in favour of payments to tenants has sparked concern at the top levels of government that tenants who cannot manage their money will fall into arrears and be made homeless and also led to fears that social landlords will not have the financial security to invest in much needed new affordable homes.  Danny Alexander, the Liberal Democrat chief secretary to the Treasury, has written to work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, outlining his fears about the change in housing support, and urging his Conservative cabinet colleague to moderate his reforms.  It is understood that Alexander accepts that tenants will not all get a choice about how their housing benefit is paid, but he has threatened to block the changes unless more safeguards are brought in for the most vulnerable tenants.  Read more on the Guardian website.