Housing Benefit Changes

Keep Moving ReportFamily Action highlights possibility of multiple moves for vulnerable and disadvantaged families as a result of housing benefit changes. Read our report here.

Up to 13,000 families and 26,000* children could be affected by changes to housing benefit in April. Support Family Action's Look Out for Louise campaign and get in touch with your MP now .

Family Action is concerned about the impact of housing benefit changes on the vulnerable families we work with. We support families to make them stable and secure. See Family Action on Channel 4 news about the housing benefit changes.

^{_{*figures based on DWP 'Impacts of Housing Benefit Proposals'.}}

The families we work with may include parents with mental health problems, learning difficulties, substance misuse, domestic abuse and poor child development. It will be more difficult to work productively with vulnerable families and to bring them structure and stability if they are forced to uproot their homes.

The housing benefit changes announced in the Budget were:

From April next year housing benefit will be capped at: £250 for a one bedroom property, £290 for two, £340 for three and £400 for a four bedroom property.
The setting of Local Housing Allowance rates at the 30th (rather than, as present, 50th) percentile of local rents takes place from April 2011. This means it will be based on much lower estimation of market rents.
The uprating in line with Consumer Price Index takes place from 2013. In practice this means the benefit will be devalued because the CPI generally rises at a lower rate than the Retail Price Index.

Up to 26,000 Children Face Housing and School Admissions Chaos. Children and young people will face uncertainty as these changes come in. Thousands of families will be left in school-choice limbo. Families have to chose schools for their children before the deadlines in October and January. But they may be forced to move meaning they'll be at the back of the queue for school places in areas they may have to move to.

Changes Could Damage Early Intervention and SafeguardingMembers of the Coalition government have made welcome commitments to early intervention and child protection. However we are concerned that the housing benefit proposals will have a negative impact on their ability to fulfil those commitments. They will also make safeguarding vulnerable children more difficult. If vulnerable families become known to neighbours, teachers, GPs, churches and playgroups, their children will also be better protected.

Read Family Action's submission to the Work and Pensions Select Committee on Housing Benefit Changes.

Please get in touch with us if you're on housing benefits and are experiencing problems making your rent or believe you will experience problems because of these changes when they are introduced from 2011 - contact rhian.beynon@family-action.org.uk in our Policy & Campaigns team with details of your story in confidence.

Downloads

Keep Moving Report