What's mildly irritating you today?

[DanaC]

They've recently brought in changes to housing benefit too. So, whereas before they would pay the equivalent rent for a midrange rental (ie. the benefit claimants should have access to houses that fall at or below the median line of rent in an area) to the 30% mark. Thereby drastically reducing the number of properties accessible to people on benefits (that includes low income families as well as unemployed).

At the same time they've drawn a line at the age of 35. Below that age you can no longer claim the equivalent rent for a one bedroomed flat or house at the median line. They will now only pay the equivalent of a room in shared house at the 30% line.

As this is starting to take effect, a lot of people who are currently settled in homes are having to go back into the rental market for lower rent properties. So, not only is the number of properties available as assisted rent shrinking, but the number of people competing for that reduced pool of rentals has suddenly shot up through the proverbial roof.

This is effective nationwide, but it has a particularly profound impact in the south where prices are higher to start with. The effect is such that many people are being priced entirely out of the areas in which they and their families are settled.

There are other changes too. Things that also increase pressure. Such as families who have got smaller due to a child moving out suddenly having to move now to a smaller house because they can no longer claim for the house they're in, because they're only now entitled to a single bedroomed property.

Unfortunately, alongside all this, I have noticed an increase in the number of rental adverts that state no DSS (benefits claimants). rents which could be considered good value are routinely DSS blocked. Probably at least in part to the removal of the direct pay system. Claimants used to be able to select to have their rent paid directly to the landlord. This gave landlords a guarantee that they would be paid. Now that is only available as a sanction where someone has not been paying their rent and fallen into serious arrears. So, private landlords are increasingly reluctant to take on social tenants. Whilst the landlords who specialise in social rents charge more because they have very little competition.

because people generally do require a roof over their heads, and because finding an alternative is not all that easy when most boroughs have homeless and ill-houses populations running into several thousand, they end up staying in their unaffordable place and using the small amount of benefit they get to pay the shortfall. And then get into horrendous debt trying to keep afloat.


And then:

The additional kick in the teeth for people already struggling, was the change in council tax benefits. These used to be funded through the government benefits system. Now, the government have placed it onto the shouolders of local councils. At the same time requiring them to come up with savings of around 20-30% in benefits payments. Consequently a lot of people (single adults, students, low wage families) who got help with their council tax, or even had it waived will now have to pay some or all of the tax.

The same families who have been so badly hit by the changes to rent assistance.