Legal News

Families reliant on benefits are suffering from the current limits of £23,000 in London and £20,000 in the rest of the country. A BBC Panorama investigation has found that, as a result of these benefit caps, several families can lose all of their housing benefit asides from a nominal amount of 50p per week.

Chief Executive of The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), Alison Garnham has expressed concerns that these caps may leave many families at risk of homelessness. Garnham’s concern is confirmed by the head of policy at Shelter, Anne Baxendale, who said “Cuts to welfare and a lack of genuinely affordable homes has sadly forced a growing number of Londoners into homelessness.”

Figures released from an analysis carried out by Shelter, found that families in more than half of England are living under the UK poverty line due to the caps.

Meanwhile, Garnham said the cap means that families have little to live off in relation to costs of living, and described the cap as “completely arbitrary.”

The government defends the benefit cap, claiming it levels the playing field between families in work and families reliant on benefits, and will incentivise work among benefit claimants. However, the CPAG has claimed that the cap will target people who are not in a position to work. Garnham explained “Of the people affected by the benefit cap about 80% are not really expected to work because they’re sick or have very young children” and raised the question of “how this can be a policy about getting people into work.”

Trainee Solicitor Asif Anwar comments:

“The government’s approach is counter-productive. The benefit cap will only increase the amount of people falling into rent arears and therefore more homelessness applications. This will inevitably increase more pressure, time and costs on local authorities in processing these applications.”

Asif Anwar mainly assists vulnerable client in their Homelessness, Disrepair, Possession and other housing law matters. He is highly committed to providing upstanding legal assistance to each of his clients. He appreciates that each client’s matter is unique and deserves the utmost diligence, care and attention.

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors can guide clients in any matter or issues arising with local housing authorities, housing applications, tenants, landlords, ownership and repairs. The Duncan Lewis housing team specialises in representation in all social housing proceedings including reviews, appeals and judicial review relating to homelessness, disrepair, succession for tenants and neighbourhood disputes against local authorities.

If you have any housing related queries or require representation please do not hesitate to contact our team of expert solicitors on 0333 772 0409.