What's the benefit?

Affinity Sutton backs campaign against cuts in housing benefit

Affinity Sutton has lent it support to Inside Housing magazine's What's the benefit campaign - which is calling for a fairer way to reduce the £21 billion housing benefit bill than current government proposals. 

Vicky Bonner, Director of Customer Services, Affinity Sutton, said:  "While we support the need for reform of the benefit system to better incentivise and reward working households the continued economic uncertainty means it remains hard for the longer term unemployed to find work.  Given this if the Government's proposal to reduce Housing Benefit by 10 per cent for claimants on Jobseeker's Allowance goes ahead many will fall into severe hardship and possibly even face eviction from their homes.  At Affinity Sutton we estimate that in the future this could potentially impact on as many as 40 per cent of our households as their eligibility to other benefits is restricted.  We are deeply concerned by this and urge the Government to take more time to carefully consider this complex problem and the possible consequences."