Housing Benefit Debate Gets Underway

Housing experts are encouraging as many people as possible around the UK to make their views known on the future of housing benefit in the government consultation that has been launched.

Over 80% of government funding for housing in the UK is in the form of housing benefit, which is currently paid to five million tenants and amounts to £17 billion per year. The long term future of housing benefit, the way it supports people back into work and provides stable predictable basis for future planning is all open to discussion.


An online discussion site is now open and hosted by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH). The consultation will be open until 22 February 2010.

Abigail Davies, CIH Head of Policy, said: "Housing benefit accounts for the lion’s share of housing spend in the UK and there has never been a more important opportunity to reform housing benefit to ensure that it provides a stable basis for supporting people to get back into work and to plan for the future.

"We are pleased to be asked by the Department for Work and Pensions to lead on this important consultation and would encourage as many people to have their say as possible."

(CD/KMcA)