Benefit cap will fuel the rate of homelessness

A CHARITY has warned that a benefits cap on 123 households in Halton could be pushing them towards homelessness.

Shelter said the Government figures published on Thursday, August 3, showed that the average loss was £2,600 a year each and most, 102, were lone parent families.

All were households with two dependants or more.

Just more than half (66) were homes with three dependants or more.

Shelter said the total number of households who have had their benefits capped since the chances in law came into force in Halton was 260 but 137 were no longer subject to the limit.

Across the UK, 69,000 homes are now living within the limit, three times higher than the same time last year.

Of those, 16,960 were lone parent families with a child aged under two.

Almost half (33,025) are losing more than £2,600 a year.

The Government has said its changes to benefits are encouraging more householders into work.

Anne Baxendale, Shelter’s director of communications, policy and campaigns, said: “Every day at Shelter we speak to families who tell us the benefit cap is pushing them to the brink of homelessness.

“Many desperately want to work but simply can’t make up the required hours each week due to childcare issues or insecure work like zero hours contracts.

“The high court recently ruled that the cap discriminates against lone parents with children under two, and we’re disappointed to see the government appealing against a judgement that found these cuts unlawful.

“Instead, the Government must scrap the cap immediately, before it pushes even more families towards losing the roof over their heads.”