30th October 2009
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Grant Shapps: system bad for everyone |
The current housing benefit system stigmatises tenants and reduces the availability of affordable housing, the Conservatives have warned.
Grant Shapps, Conservative housing spokesperson, said it had led to a severe restriction in housing supply for affordable rent. ‘The current situation is bad for everyone, and I can see no reason why people on local housing allowance shouldn’t enjoy the freedom to have their housing benefit paid direct to their landlord,’ he said.
Under a Conservative government, he added, tenants will be able to choose to have their housing allowance paid direct to landlords instead of themselves.
Kay Boycott, Shelter director of policy and campaigns, said at present tenants has no choice about whether their benefit is paid to them or to their landlord. ‘Many of these people are already struggling financially, so when they get rent money paid into their bank account they face the difficult choice of spending it on necessities such as food or bills rather than paying their rent,’ she said.
The Residential Landlord Association said paying tenants directly had not worked because many claimants were unable to manage the money they receive. ‘A little more flexibility to allow tenants to opt for rent money to be paid direct to landlords at the very start would overcome this and could avoid a bad situation that is currently forcing many private sector landlords to withdraw their properties from this particular market,’ said a spokesperson.