‘Unintended’ Housing Benefit Cuts Hit Tenants

Councils are cutting off housing benefit payments to tenants who are entitled to receive them, as an unintended consequence of sanctions applied to other benefits. Jobseeker’s allowance and employment support allowance claimants can have sanctions applied to their claims if they miss appointments or fail to do enough to find work. But many are also having their housing benefit cut, because they are unaware that they need to tell councils their financial circumstances have changed. Local authorities are stopping claims as a result. Charities warn they are dealing with a rising number of housing benefit problems as the number of JSA and ESA sanctions soar - because many recipients don’t realise the reductions could affect their claim. Read more on Inside Housing.