Benefits battle

THE intervention of the new Archbishop of Canterbury on welfare reform suggests that Justin Welby is likely to be a thorn in the Government’s side on social policy – just like Rowan Williams, his scholarly predecessor.

Yet, while the list of senior clergy who signed a letter criticising plans to cap the increase in benefit payments to one per cent for the next three years was noteworthy, there was little recognition about the fact that the country has been spending beyond its means for far too long.

Like the Labour opposition, senior archbishops are very articulate when it comes to criticising every attempt to curtail spending. They are more tongue-tied over how they would limit spending.

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That said, David Cameron did come to office promising to reduce child poverty and his reforms have the potential to exacerbate the problem – especially if day-to-day living costs continue to rise.

It is the same with the coalition’s bedroom tax – or “spare room subsidy” to coin the phrase that the Tory leader used at PMQs last week. Spending on housing benefit has increased over the past decade by 50 per cent to more than £23bn – the equivalent of every basic rate taxpayer paying £1,000 a year – and councils need to use their housing stock more efficiently as demand soars to record levels.

The problem is that the new rules have been devised by politicians and advisors from privileged backgrounds who think they can impose a ‘one size fits all’ strategy on the whole country. Take this example. At face value, it would make sense for single people to switch to one-bedroomed accommodation. The problem is that there are not enough such homes to meet demand, an oversight that strengthens the view of those clergy – and others – who contend that this Government is out of touch with the country that it purports to serve.