Scare stories

• SCARE stories that housing benefit changes will force thousands of London families from their homes are nonsense.

We will continue to pay up to £20,800 a year in housing benefit, but covering rents double that amount or more is neither fair nor sustainable. It is unacceptable when hardworking individuals and families are struggling to find affordable private rents or pay their mortgages that families claiming benefits can live in homes out of reach of most people. A minority of people may have to move and £190million has been allocated to cover transition payments to help those affected. London is receiving the lion’s share of the funding with £1.1million allocated to Westminster.

We also expect some landlords to lower their rents in return for direct payments from local authorities. Last year nearly £22billion was spent on housing benefit and we urgently need to restore fairness to a system that has spiralled out of control to protect families for the future.

Lord Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform

Published: 15 July 2011