Tent City Homeless Protesters: 'We're Not Going Anywhere'

Homeless protestors who have pitched a “tent city" in Hull say they are not going anywhere until they are given somewhere permanent to live.  As temperatures dropped to freezing on Monday evening dozens of people prepared to spend another night in more than 30 tents in the city centre. The camp was set up on Friday and has grown steadily. Its organisers, who come from Leeds, say they are prepared to brave the cold weather until all of Hull's rough sleepers are offered a home of their own, rather than places in hostels. They have been joined by dozens of homeless people from Hull. Hull City Council says it is "engaging" with the group and insists it is working to support rough sleepers. Read more on the Hull Daily Mail website.

Huge Rise in Rent Help Applications

More than five times as many people are applying for help to pay their rent since the introduction of new welfare reforms.  Hull City Council has revealed applications to the Discretionary Housing Payments fund has risen from an average of five to 26 a day since changes to benefits came into force last week. Last year, only 25 per cent of people who applied to the scheme were turned down but a lot more are likely to be unsuccessful this time round. If the council were to award 75 per cent of those applying at the current rate of 26 a day, the fund would run out in just a few weeks.  Read more on the Hull Daily Mail website.