Downing Street Says » Housing Benefits

» Monday, July 4, 2011

Housing Benefits

Asked to respond to Liam Byrne’s allegations that ministers had misled the House on the impact of changes to housing benefits, the PMDS said we disagreed with the statement and changes to the welfare system were about fairness and making work pay. She added that the changes that were being brought in were difficult choices but there was no reason why anyone would be made homeless when they were receiving up to 26,000 in benefits.

Asked whether ministers were aware of the figure being quoted in the leaked letter, the PMDS said we would not comment on leaked documents but changes we had announced addressed the basic issue of fairness. She added it was unacceptable to have hard working individuals and families struggling to pay their mortgages when some families, who were not working, received considerable housing benefits. She added that while the changes we were making ensured that no one would be made homeless, we had also put transitional arrangements in place with local authorities receiving an extra 192m in funding as part of the spending review period to smooth through the changes.

Asked whether the PM had done anything to find out why the figure referred to in the leaked document wasn’t given to the House, the PMDS said she would not get into the details of leaked documents and suggested people speak to DWP on the impacts of government policy.

Asked if Government was confident the Speaker would agree with them on this, the PMDS said this was a matter for the Speaker.

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Housing Benefits

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