More than 750,000 impacted by HB cuts

More than 750,000 people face homelessness under the government's decision to cap housing benefits.

This is according to the National Housing Federation, which has estimated in London alone, around 425,000 people could lose their home.

Housing minister Grant Shapps announced last month that households can only now only claim a third of the average market rent of an area.

Rental rates in London are so high that many families could be forced to leave the area in search of work or struggle and fall into arrears.

The organisation has claimed that the rates of homelessness could be the highest in over 30 years.

It has called on the government to create a poverty commission to assess the impact of the cuts on the poorest in the country.

David Orr, chief executive of the Federation, said: "For many people, particularly those with disabilities, moving could be an enormous upheaval. It will also disrupt the education of thousands of children.

"The resulting impact on people's lives would be huge as would the cost to the taxpayer."

He added that councils could face huge costs from temporarily re-housing families while others would be unable to support homeless families.

Posted by Luella Ravelin

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