Tenants Bear Cost Of Welfare Reforms

Housing benefit claimants in the private rented sector have had to meet 94 per cent of the shortfall caused by local housing allowance cuts, with few landlords reducing rents.  The findings were contained in a government-commissioned report into the government’s LHA changes by a research consortium led by Sheffield Hallam University. The consortium interviewed tenants, landlords and housing benefit advisors in 19 areas across Great Britain. The interim report found 94 per cent of the reduction in benefit has fallen to tenants to meet themselves, while only six per cent has been met by landlords reducing rent.  Download the report from the DWP website.