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'Bedroom tax' hitting region the hardest

Benefits claimants in the North-East and North Yorkshire have been hit harder by Government’s ‘bedroom tax’ than any other region, a new study has revealed.

The report, by Oxfam and the New Policy Institute (NPI), warns that wide-ranging cuts are changing the shape of welfare support at a time when rising prices are making it harder for families to make ends meet. 

Even renters who work should be worried about housing benefit changes

A series of subtle changes to housing benefit mean the safety net for people renting their home is shrinking fast

The necessity of housing makes housing benefit a crucial part of the safety net. It ensures that if someone loses their job, they don't immediately fall behind on their rent and risk losing their home as well. It also allows job-seekers to focus on securing a new job rather than where they are going to sleep that night. 

Life on the front line after the benefits cap

It is more than six months since the government's benefits cap was introduced, with the aim of encouraging people into work. Panorama followed council officers in the London Borough of Brent for seven months to find out how it was affecting families.

"I don't know how anyone can be rich and proud on benefits. For me, it's very shameful. I hate being in this situation. I hate having to rely on the government," said single mother-of-two Tanya Blake. 

One In Four London Households On Housing Benefit

One in four, or about 843,000, London households currently receive housing benefit to help them pay their rent, says a new London Assembly report.

The housing benefit bill for London in 2012-13 was more than £6bn and claims have risen by over 100,000 since 2008. It’s not surprising the government wants to get a hold of rising costs, but the report describes how nearly half of all households in the UK subject to the overall benefits cap have been in London. This is primarily down to our higher housing costs. Londoners in social housing have also been disproportionately affected by the "Bedroom Tax".

 

5 Top Tips to Find the Right DSS Property

Here at Dssmove, we’re committed to finding you a property that says “yes” to DSS. We understand that if you’re in receipt of benefits, you can struggle to find a landlord willing to take you on as a tenant. Some think that DSS makes you a higher risk tenant; some have pre-conceived notions of people on benefits; and some simply don’t understand how DSS works. However, we pride ourselves on helping to find you a landlord with no misplaced prejudice towards those in receipt of benefits. We have hundreds of DSS welcome properties available to rent, with more added almost every day.