Madness of the benefits system
Madness of the benefits system
0 Comments | Evening Standard; London (UK), Jun 24, 2010
THE comment that “charities fear the new limits on housing benefits will leave large swathes of the capital as no-go areas for the poor” failed to highlight what is obvious to most “ordinary Londoners” — that large parts of the capital are already no-go areas in terms of property prices and rents unless you are either wealthy or subsidised by the state.
If those of us who don’t get benefits can make our way from Leytonstone or Croydon to “keep both business and vital public services operating”, I can’t see why things will fall apart once housing benefit is cut to rational levels. Might rents start to decrease once landlords can no longer suck on the public teat to the same degree? N Harriss, E11.
THE housing benefit reforms reveal the new administration’s naivety. Those on benefit in boroughs where rents are high will seek housing in less well-off areas, increasing the pressure on public services and rates of council tax in places that can least afford it.
As these reforms only apply to Local Housing Allowance, it seems that those in temporary accommodation will still be eligible for huge housing benefit awards, meaning the stories of families paid Pounds 2,000 a week to live in luxury properties will not go away. J Void, thevoidblog.