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Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

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  • Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit



    Thousands of families hit by the benefit cap have been left with just 50p a week towards their rent, a BBC investigation has found.

    A Panorama survey of hundreds of local councils across Britain discovered that 7,585 families had had their weekly housing benefit cut to this level.
    Charities say some families affected could end up losing their homes.
    The cuts are part of the government's drive to get unemployed people back to work by capping their payments.
    The limits are £23,000 in London and £20,000 in the rest of the country.
    Benefits can only be capped if someone receives housing benefit or Universal Credit.
    The amount of money above the limit is taken from housing benefit or Universal Credit.
    It means some people can lose all their housing benefit, except for a nominal amount of 50p.
    'Hole in rent'

    Alison Garnham, chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: "Removing people's housing benefit basically means that people can't afford their home, so it puts people at risk of homelessness.
    "It also means that they have to use money that's intended to buy food for their kids and for their other living expenses - this has to be used to plug the hole in their rent."
    The government says the benefit cap is fairer because it levels the playing field between families in work and those reliant on benefits.
    Welfare delivery minister Caroline Nokes said: "What we sought to do was incentivise work because we know that the outcomes for children will be better if they are in families that are working.
    "You have to remember that a household that has only 50p of housing benefit actually is receiving in the region of £20,000 outside London, in total benefits."
    The government estimates that 88,000 households will be affected by the benefit cap - though some experts think the figure will be much higher.
    Almost 67,500 households have been capped so far, according to figures provided by the 370 councils that responded to Panorama's survey.

    The 50p-a-week housing benefit

    Birmingham has the highest number of households on 50p a week housing benefit - 578 out of 2,968 that are benefit capped.
    Leeds is second (223 out of 993) and Manchester is third (179 out of 833).
    In North Hertfordshire, 30% of households that are benefit capped are on 50p a week housing benefit - the highest proportion in Britain.
    Bolton is the second highest (29%). Sandwell is third (27%).
    Source: BBC Panorama

    Steve and Kim Carmichael, from Huyton in Liverpool, used to get £500 a week in benefits to look after their four children but their payments were cut by £120 in November under the cap.
    Their rent used to be covered by housing benefit but that has been cut to the minimum amount.
    Mr Carmichael said: "Now it's only 50p per week so that's £2 a month - which they may as well keep. It costs more to send a letter out."
    The family was threatened with eviction at the end of January because of their rent arrears.
    They got a payment from a special government fund set up to help those who have been affected by the cap.
    But the Discretionary Housing Payment ran out at the end of March and they will now have to apply for more money. If they do not get it, they could lose their home.
    'It soon goes'

    Mr Carmichael said the family had been struggling since their benefits were capped.
    "£20,000 a year does sound a lot," she said. "It's not a lot really, and by the time you've paid your gas, your electric, your rent, your council tax, your food shopping, clothes for the kids, school trips and stuff like that, it soon goes."
    Neither of them have worked for almost nine years. Under the rules, the Carmichaels could get their full benefits back if they worked 24 hours a week between them.
    Mr Carmichael said he was looking for work, but he has not been able to find a job in the four months since the family was capped.
    The government said a range of additional measures had been put in place to support those in the most need.


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39484897
    Tags: None

  • #2
    Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

    The cuts are part of the government's drive to get unemployed people back to work by capping their payments
    Well just my opinion, but would it not help if we didn't need 60,000 EU workers imported to work in one of our top industries.
    I explained on another thread the problems I had on 3 occasions getting a drink in 3 different hotels.
    No one on this earth will convince me these jobs can not or will not be done by Brits.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

      Probably more to do with the employers getting away with paying less than minimum wage to non-brits. The Brits know the rules and if the employers can get away with paying less than they should they often do, imo.
      I am a qualified solicitor and am happy to try and assist informally, where needed.

      Any posts I make on LegalBeagles are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as legal advice. Any practical advice I give is without liability. I do not represent people on the forum.

      If in doubt you should always seek professional face to face legal advice.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

        Originally posted by Peridot View Post
        Probably more to do with the employers getting away with paying less than minimum wage to non-brits. The Brits know the rules and if the employers can get away with paying less than they should they often do, imo.
        I can't believe some of our largest companies would break the rules and get away with it

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

          I know shocking isn't it :0
          I am a qualified solicitor and am happy to try and assist informally, where needed.

          Any posts I make on LegalBeagles are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as legal advice. Any practical advice I give is without liability. I do not represent people on the forum.

          If in doubt you should always seek professional face to face legal advice.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

            It must be scary for those that are hit by the cap tho' ... I know that there are people who will happily 'milk the system', but for the ones that don't a drop in their HB payments can mean they lose their home at the very least
            Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of.

            It doesn't matter where your journey begins, so long as you begin it...

            recte agens confido

            ~~~~~

            Any advice I provide is given without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

            I can be emailed if you need my help loading pictures/documents to your thread. My email address is Kati@legalbeagles.info
            But please include a link to your thread so I know who you are.

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            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

              It's all in the big plan omho to keep the little man down, the housing market is being subtly messed about with and we will have another boom and bust just like before.
              Course it will all be the fault of Brexit and the elderly no danger about that.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

                Remember the days of bring up family on just low basic Agricultural wage in the high street, believe it or not a lot of shops paid low agricultural wages in the 50/60s, and only extra was child benefit (small as it was) - so all the benefits people get now are a gift, and we old ones as many call us and blame us never had any help, also went with out food to feed the kids, and go up mothers knowing she give a tin or two out of her small cupboard saying for the children and we stood there hoping the kids left a bit,? did mm=we moan no, all out to work/work/work. there said it now = Fact of real life. no family credit etc for us = no such thing.

                - - - Updated - - -

                50p a week = my 1st wage in the 50s i.e. Ten Shillings minus tax etc

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

                  And it wasn't right then either.
                  I am a qualified solicitor and am happy to try and assist informally, where needed.

                  Any posts I make on LegalBeagles are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as legal advice. Any practical advice I give is without liability. I do not represent people on the forum.

                  If in doubt you should always seek professional face to face legal advice.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

                    I think its fare restricting benefits to 25k, in fact, i will be much stricter

                    1. benefits for people residing in the UK only ( that would upset lots of OAPs in spain/france )
                    2. All benefits paid to over 18 year old shouldbe run as a debt account, and they should pay an extra NI to pay back some towards there benefits
                    3. All benefits should encourage home ownership to get people outof the cycle
                    4. people on benefits should be suject to random drugs tests, just like some employees are ( lol )
                    crazy council ( as in local council,NELC ) as a member of the public, i don't get mad, i get even

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

                      Originally posted by MIKE770 View Post
                      Remember the days of bring up family on just low basic Agricultural wage in the high street, believe it or not a lot of shops paid low agricultural wages in the 50/60s, and only extra was child benefit (small as it was) - so all the benefits people get now are a gift, and we old ones as many call us and blame us never had any help, also went with out food to feed the kids, and go up mothers knowing she give a tin or two out of her small cupboard saying for the children and we stood there hoping the kids left a bit,? did mm=we moan no, all out to work/work/work. there said it now = Fact of real life. no family credit etc for us = no such thing.

                      - - - Updated - - -

                      50p a week = my 1st wage in the 50s i.e. Ten Shillings minus tax etc
                      Originally posted by Peridot View Post
                      And it wasn't right then either.
                      CAVEAT LECTOR

                      This is only my opinion - "Opinions are made to be changed --or how is truth to be got at?" (Byron)

                      You and I do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.
                      Cohen, Herb


                      There is danger when a man throws his tongue into high gear before he
                      gets his brain a-going.
                      Phelps, C. C.


                      "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance!"
                      The last words of John Sedgwick

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

                        Originally posted by Crazy council View Post
                        I think its fare restricting benefits to 25k,
                        25k would be still better than what it is tho' ... it's 23k in London, 20k elsewhere
                        Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of.

                        It doesn't matter where your journey begins, so long as you begin it...

                        recte agens confido

                        ~~~~~

                        Any advice I provide is given without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

                        I can be emailed if you need my help loading pictures/documents to your thread. My email address is Kati@legalbeagles.info
                        But please include a link to your thread so I know who you are.

                        Specialist advice can be sought via our sister site JustBeagle

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

                          Originally posted by charitynjw View Post
                          I just knew you'd manage to get that in here somewhere lol xx
                          Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of.

                          It doesn't matter where your journey begins, so long as you begin it...

                          recte agens confido

                          ~~~~~

                          Any advice I provide is given without liability, if you are unsure please seek professional legal guidance.

                          I can be emailed if you need my help loading pictures/documents to your thread. My email address is Kati@legalbeagles.info
                          But please include a link to your thread so I know who you are.

                          Specialist advice can be sought via our sister site JustBeagle

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

                            Lee Rigby killer 'moved back to Broadmoor hospital where he'll cost taxpayers £250,000-a-year.

                            Well there you go this creature is costing us and living a cushy life, he will have a Dr as soon as needed, a dentist too, he will have no normal everyday stresses that we have. Fed, watered and clothed at no cost.
                            My MIL who passed a few weeks ago didn't have quite this luxury in her life, every avenue re her age and health was a battle and believe me I witnessed it all.
                            She paid £412 per week to be looked after, was not considered poorly enough to get Continuing Health Care even though her illness killed her.
                            Think there must be something wrong with me thinking this is just not right.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Thousands on 50p-a-week housing benefit

                              I watched Panorama last night and tbh felt no sympathy for any of the people on the programme, rightly or wrongly.
                              The only one I thought was doing a good job of parenting was the single dad with 4 kids, I thought maybe I missed the word 'widower' when he was introduced.
                              Turns out his wife is very much a part of the kids lives both financially and actually has shared custody and has them half the week. She is very cross at the way her kids have been portrayed and also says she did not give permission for her kids to be filmed.
                              This is a very sore subject for a lot of people and the BBC should get all the facts right before they ever air such stuff.

                              Comment

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