Universal Credit and housing benefit (Homeless)

gay_guy

Hello,

Just need some of you're opinions. I have a friend who has a drink problem and she spends all her JSA on beer and she never gets any food and electric with her Jobseekers and when she spends all her money she comes to me and some of my mates for food.

(Please note: this is not the same girl I mentioned in my other post)

I don't give her any food at all as she will never learn, but what is worrying me is when universal credit comes into force later this year and we get JSA and housing benefit all in 1 and it will last monthly (I believe) well I am worried she will spend her housing benefit on beer and she will fall behind on her rent (making her homeless)

But do you think the goverment is doing the right thing by paying housing benefit to people who have a drug and drinking problem? it doesn't bother me in the slightest as I don't drink (well sometimes I do when I can afford it now and again) and I 100% never take drugs.

I think the goverment is making a wrong decision by paying housing benefit to the tenants who have addictions as by doing this, sadly we could be seeing loads of homeless people in the coming months and years

Do any of you think this is a good idea regarding housing benefit to tenants?

sammyjammy

There will be exemptions for vulnerable people, this would include your friend but unless she has a support worker of some type I think she would need to sign up for this herself.

The rollout for Universal Credit will now be slower so she won't necessarily be changed over from October and it may still not include those who claim Housing Benefit.

I assume she lives in Council/Housing Association property now?

sammyjammy

This might help http://www.housing.org.uk/policy/welfare-reform/universal-credit/direct-payments-to-tenants