Exactly how little will rents fall with the housing benefit changes?

Malcolm.

doire wrote: »

Well its an issue to a lot of LibCons and the Labour party. Boris Johnson likened it to "ethnic cleansing"

The guy is a buffoon.

The changes impact poor people living in London. Boris implying those impacted are of one ethnicity, to be honest, is both racist and alarmist.

nearlynew

Are there any cities elsewhere in the world where poor people get to live -for free - in expensive houses in expensive areas of the city?

Shakethedisease

It still impacts a tiny number of people. A few tens of thousands out of 60,000,000 people in the UK.

You're forgetting the 10% LHA cut for everyone in the UK on JSA for a year..which they also seemed adamant they were going ahead with ( I doubt it myself)..However, if we believe they will carry it through then it's hardly a 'tiny number' of people..and certainly won't be once the jobs cuts kick in. Try the maths on that one.

Morglin

The whole thing has been badly thought out - yes, it was wrong that approx 100 people (that's all!) were living in mansions at vast public expense. But, that could have just been sorted out without all this chaos that will erupt, if this new law comes to pass.

Most do seem now to agree it will possibly affect 82,000 families (approx 200,00 people, including children)

Housing Benefit is not an 'out of work' benefit and this will affect low earners, as well as those out of work, who will not be able to make up any shortfall.

Rents all over London (and some commuter belts) are very, very expensive, 99% of them aren't luxury flats, and if those working have to move out miles, they won't be able to afford to commute, on low wages, will lose the jobs they do have, and their children will have to move schools, which is just brilliant for a child that has just lost their home as well..

They will remain in expensive B&B's and waiting ages for more 'rural' councils to rehouse them, who won't be able to deal with the increase in demand. This will no doubt also anger locals who may also have been waiting ages for affordable housing.

The hospitals, GP's and schools will also suffer from suddenly have a lot of new people dumped on them, many of whom won't have English as a first language.

London councils have been block booking B&B's in the suburbs, in Sussex, the West country and the South coast - I bet those places are just thrilled at the thought of coachloads ending up there.

There's also the point that a family going to a B&B cannot take most of their stuff, or any furniture they may have - the councils will be paying for storage for these people - how much is that going to cost?

Even Boris has decided to join in the fray:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11640219

Thankfully, a vote will, apparantly, be forced on this and Simon Hughes plus rebels from the Libs and the Tories, seem to think they can overturn the whole silly idea.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11616741



Lin