UK government tackles housing benefit problem
The UK government yesterday attacked housing benefits which have grown by 50% over the last decade to a staggering £21 billion a year. Indeed it was revealed that some families are receiving over £100,000 year in housing benefit which is a figure completely unsustainable in the future. So how has George Osborne tackled the problem?
Housing benefit in future will be limited to £280 a week for a flat and £400 a week for a house. It is unclear how historic housing benefit agreements will be tackled or whether the new figures will only relate to future housing benefit arrangements. Either way this is one part of a multi pronged attack on the UK benefits system which has grown completely out of control over the last 20 or 30 years.
While housing benefit payments will be reduced significantly in the future the government also announced an increase in discretionary housing payments for hardship cases with an additional £40 million to be made available. It would appear, on the surface at least, that George Osborne is looking to protect those on the lowest incomes in the UK while at the same time looking to limit payments to those on middle range to higher incomes.
Share this..
Related stories
Food Prices to rise as Weather Worsens
Research from Oxfam has revealed that extreme weather conditions caused by climate change are likely to raise food prices, as crop yields across the world are damaged. It is claimed by the charity that the implications climate change is having on the future of food prices is being widely underestimated, and has warned that worldwide communities are likely to become more vulnerable to events suc...
Read MoreHave you budgeted for Christmas?
While the festive period may still be a few months away, more and more people in the UK are now looking to acquire gifts and presents over the coming weeks and months to reduce potentially enormous expenditure over the festive period. Despite the fact that the UK is currently in recession, although some will argue otherwise, there are very few festive shopping periods of recent times which have no...
Read MoreAre you making the most of online shopping?
As money becomes ever tighter in UK more and more people are looking towards the Internet for their everyday spending. But are you really making the most of online shopping and the various discounts and promotions on offer?
While there are obviously a number of leading names on the Internet such as Amazon, eBay and other such well-known entities that these are not always the cheapes...
Sky investigated by Ofcom
07/08/2015 Sky is being investigated by the broadcasting watchdog, Ofcom, over concerns that customers who are attempting to cancel their plan are being ignored. The investigation will look at Sky’s TV, broadband, and phone services to monitor the way the provider gives clients the chance to cancel their package. Officials are undertaking this investigation after received a number of...
Read MoreOver half of Britons do not have a will
11/09/2014 New research has found that 28.7 million British adults have not yet written a will. The study, conducted by unbiased.co.uk, shows more than half of the population has not yet written a will. This leaves the sorting out of assets to the state, which can mean months of delays and inconvenience before loved ones are told what will happen. These are known as intestacy rules, and eve...
Read More