Housing benefit cut defended as Yorkshire MP brands change 'cruel'

PLANS to stop young adults from claiming housing benefit were branded 'cruel and counterproductive' by a shadow minister today,
Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey, the Wentworth and Dearne MPShadow Housing Secretary John Healey, the Wentworth and Dearne MP
Shadow Housing Secretary John Healey, the Wentworth and Dearne MP

Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey criticised the Government’s failure to analyse whether impact the move to cut housing benefit for those aged less than 22 would increase homelessness.

The Shadow Housing Secretary pointed to claims from the Centrepoint charity that the measure would put 9,000 young people at risk of homelessness.

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The Government was accused of quietly slipping out the decision last Friday but Work and Pensions Minister Caroline Nokes insisted it was only confirmation of a pledge made two years ago.

Mr Healey said none of the arguments made by ministers to defend the cut “stack up”.

“These young people who are old emnough to marry, work, pay taxes, fight for our country will jnow be denied the same right to basic help with housing costs as any british adult.”

Mr Healey dismissed the Government’s promise of continued help for young people with nowhere to go, arguing landlords would avoid letting properties to under-22s.

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Ms Nokes confirmed “some 18-21-year-olds” would lose their automatic entitlement to help with their housing costs from April 1 but their would continue to be help for those who need it.

She told MPs: “This policy removes the perverse incentive for young adults to leave the family home and pass the cost onto the taxpayer.

“This is about stopping young people slipping straight into a life on benefits and brings parity with young people who are in work but who may not be able to leave the family home while a unemployed young person can.

“We have always been clear this policy will have a comprehensive set of exemptions to make sure the most vulnerable continue to have the housing support they need.

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“So the policy will only affect those who have no barriers to work and who are unable to return safely to their parental home.”

Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband said: “I think we should call this for what it is, a nasty vindictive policy that will make injustice worse from a Government that said they would tackle burning injustice.”