Benefits | LocalGov

Just 5% of London private rentals affordable to low-income households

17/10/2024

Only 5% of private rental listings in London are affordable to households who use Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to pay their rent, new research has found.

An alternative to Winter Fuel Payments

08/10/2024

Alex Clegg, economist at the Resolution Foundation, sets out a possible alternative to Winter Fuel Payments.

Charity says 10,000 children have fallen into poverty under Labour

07/10/2024

The two-child benefit cap has pushed 10,000 children into poverty since the Labour Government took office, new research has found.

Nearly eight million families at risk of ‘fuel stress’

30/09/2024

A think tank has urged the Government to support vulnerable people who are no longer eligible for winter fuel payments, warning that millions are at risk.

£68m in Pension Credit is unclaimed, Kent says

30/09/2024

Almost 18,000 households in Kent could be missing out on a combined £68m in unclaimed Pension Credit, according to the county council.

Starmer defeated in winter fuel payment vote

25/09/2024

The Labour leadership has lost a union-sponsored motion at the party’s conference that called on ministers to reverse the cuts to winter fuel payments.

Government urged to reverse fuel payment cuts

20/09/2024

Councillors in Stockton have backed a motion urging the Government to reverse its ‘deeply unfair’ decision to stop providing the Winter Fuel Payment to millions of pensioners.

Councils step up to help pensioners hit by winter fuel scheme cuts

16/09/2024

Councils are working to help older people keep their homes warm after the Government axed winter fuel payments for about 10 million pensioners.

Half of universal credit claimants ran out of food last month

02/09/2024

Almost half of people (48%) claiming universal credit ran out of food last month and could not afford to buy more, a charity has found.

Call for cross-government taskforce to avoid ‘crisis of care’

22/08/2024

More than a million extra people will be providing informal care over the next decade, a charity has said, calling for a government plan to avoid a ‘crisis of care’.

Councillors advised to write off £1.25m of debts

06/08/2024

Officers have recommended that Peterborough City Council writes off £1.25m of ‘irrecoverable’ debts.

Warning over cuts to Winter Fuel Payment

05/08/2024

Tens of thousands of older people face a financial cliff-edge because of changes to the Winter Fuel Payment, new analysis has revealed.

Annual welfare spending to rise by £20bn

13/06/2024

Welfare spending is set to increase by £20.8bn a year by the end of the next parliament, a think-tank has found.

‘Grossly unfair’ rule could be penalising 19,000 young carers

12/06/2024

A ‘grossly unfair’ Carer’s Allowance rule could mean more than 19,000 young adult carers are missing out on support while they study, a charity has warned.

Child poverty ‘directly correlated’ with two-child benefit cap

06/06/2024

Child poverty is ‘directly and strongly’ correlated with the percentage of children affected by the two-child benefit cap within a constituency, analysis has found.

The Carer’s Allowance scandal

22/05/2024

Government has a choice, says Kirsty McHugh of Carers Trust: continue to rely on the unpaid labour of millions or take action to give a fairer deal to carers.

Unpaid carers forced to repay DWP over £250m

20/05/2024

The Government requires unpaid carers to pay back more than £250m after thousands were unknowingly overpaid their allowance.

Government criticised over free school meals threshold freeze

14/05/2024

The Liberal Democrats have criticised the Government for failing to increase the income threshold for free school meals in line with inflation.

New £64m WorkWell pilot programme announced

08/05/2024

The Government has announced a new £64m pilot programme called WorkWell to assist individuals with long-term health issues rejoin the workforce.

Ministers propose disability benefits overhaul amid ‘spiralling’ costs

30/04/2024

Plans to overhaul the disability benefits system and ‘deliver better value for the taxpayer’ have been laid out by the Government.

Years-old study into Carer’s Allowance to be published

25/04/2024

Research into how unpaid carers are impacted when they are forced to repay benefit overpayments will be published ‘shortly’, a minister has pledged.

MPs call for Carer’s Allowance review

23/04/2024

MPs have called for a review of Carer’s Allowance as new figures showed rising numbers of benefit overpayments going undetected, The Guardian has reported.

Blow to council hopes for cash boost

23/04/2024

The prospect of extra cash for councils has faded further with the latest public finance figures showing the UK borrowed more than expected last month.

Proposed disability benefit reforms criticised

22/04/2024

The Prime Minister’s proposed Personal Independence Payments (PIP) reforms will ‘heap more misery’ on people with disabilities, charity says.

£23bn in benefits goes unclaimed

19/04/2024

The total amount of unclaimed benefits in the UK is now £22.7 billion a year, analysis has found.

MPs call for benefits ‘uprating guarantee’

25/03/2024

MPs have called for the introduction of an ‘uprating guarantee’ to uprate working-age benefits and the Local Housing Allowance rate on an annual basis.

Young carers penalised by unfair ‘21 hour rule’

18/03/2024

Young carers who are dependent on Government support are unfairly penalised by the benefits system, a coalition of civil society organisations says.

Majority on Universal Credit cannot afford enough food

20/02/2024

New research reveals the ‘devastating’ consequences of the inadequate Universal Credit system, according to anti-poverty charity The Trussell Trust.

Keep carers in work to save £6bn, Government urged

19/02/2024

The UK economy will lose billions this year because of unpaid carers who are unable to work, a think-tank has warned.

Suffolk council leaders warn of ‘catastrophic’ HRS proposals

13/02/2024

Suffolk council leaders have warned of ‘a catastrophic effect’ on vulnerable residents should Suffolk CC agree proposed Housing Related Support changes.

Millions would need to double income to escape poverty, report warns

23/01/2024

Six million people in the UK would need to more than double their income just to escape poverty, a new report has found.

Welsh councils commit to improving benefits system

22/01/2024

All local authorities in Wales have signed up to a new charter, committing to work with the Welsh Government to develop a consistent benefits system.

Autumn Statement: Councils remain ‘chronically underfunded’

23/11/2023

Support for private renters, devolution, and planning departments is welcome but councils remain ‘chronically underfunded’, council chiefs tell Chancellor.

Autumn Statement: Housing benefits unfrozen

22/11/2023

Housing benefits for private renters are set to increase as Jeremy Hunt confirms the uprating of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates in autumn statement.

LGA calls for Healthy Start uplift

13/11/2023

The value of the Healthy Start scheme should be increased by 20% to compensate for food inflation, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said.

Call for 'urgent action on deepening housing crisis'

10/11/2023

The council that increased new homes supply the most last year has urged the Government to take ‘urgent action’ on the ‘deepening housing crisis’.

Government falling 'woefully short' on supported housing

10/11/2023

Vulnerable people are increasingly provided with poor quality supported housing and suffer ‘significant, detrimental’ impacts due to inadequate support, a report has found.

Homelessness warning over LHA freeze

09/11/2023

A maintained freeze on local housing allowance (LHA) rates could push 60,000 Londoners into homelessness over the next six years, according to new analysis.

One million UK children in poverty

24/10/2023

There were 3.8 million people, including a million children, living in destitution in the UK in 2022, with state support ‘relatively absent’, a new report has found.

Disconnected job schemes failing to tackle unemployment

17/10/2023

Nine million people who are struggling to find work are at risk of being left out of the labour market because of a ‘complex patchwork’ of job schemes.

LGA warns Hunt over housing allowance rates

16/10/2023

The LGA has warned chancellor Jeremy Hunt he will force more into homelessness unless he ends a three-year freeze on housing rental benefits.

Child poverty warning over possible benefit freeze

16/10/2023

A freeze on working-age benefits would push 400,000 children into poverty, new research has found.

Housing allowance freeze forcing more into homelessness, Government told

13/10/2023

More people will be forced into homelessness unless a three-year freeze on housing rental benefits is ended, the Government has been warned.

Seven in 10 councils struggling amid cost of living crisis

03/10/2023

Seven in 10 councils are struggling to support people hit by the cost of living crisis, according to new research published today.

Childcare expansion has ‘little to offer’ poorest families

26/09/2023

The free childcare expansion continues a trend of prioritising support for working parents rather than helping low-income families, financial experts warn.

Claimants losing benefits in ‘managed migration’ to UC

31/08/2023

More than a quarter of claimants who are required to move to universal credit (UC) have not claimed UC and have had their tax credits stopped as a result, new analysis has revealed.

Disabled people missing out on £24m every month

16/08/2023

Delays to Personal Independent Payment (PIP) reviews have left disabled people missing out on an estimated £24m every month, according to Citizens Advice.

Rent arrears surge

02/08/2023

Four in five council landlords have reported growing rent arrears over the past year, according to the findings of a new survey.

Childcare payments boosted by 47%

28/06/2023

Childcare payments to working families on universal credit are to increase from today by 47% in England, Scotland and Wales.

Newly listed properties unaffordable to benefit recipients

27/06/2023

The proportion of newly listed private rental properties on Zoopla affordable to recipients of housing support has dropped from 23% to 5%, according to IFS.

Vulnerable families facing £5,600 shortfalls

26/06/2023

The UK’s most vulnerable families are facing shortfalls of up to £5,600 this year due to the cost-of-living crisis, new research has revealed.

Local Housing Allowance failing to cover costs

13/06/2023

The allowance paid to help people pay rent for private housing is failing to cover their costs, according to new analysis.

Call for Government to share more data with councils

06/06/2023

Councils are struggling to reach households hit by the cost of living crisis due to the Government’s failure to share its data with local authorities.

Seven in 10 children experiencing poverty in working households

05/06/2023

The number of children suffering poverty has shot up since support given during the COVID pandemic came to an end, according to new figures.

Universal Credit childcare payments to rise nearly 50%

31/05/2023

Parents on Universal Credit will be able to claim hundreds of pounds more to cover childcare costs from the end of June, the Government has announced.

Opportunities missed to help man who died of starvation

15/05/2023

A man with severe mental health problems died alone weighing four and a half stone after opportunities to help him were missed, a review of the case found.

Nearly £19bn of benefits go unclaimed

02/05/2023

The total amount of unclaimed income-related benefits and social tariffs is now £18.7bn a year, a new study has found.

Food banks hand out record 3 million food parcels

26/04/2023

A record number of food parcels have been given out over the last year to people struggling with the cost of living, UK’s largest food bank network reports.

Landlords letting ‘non-decent’ homes get £1.6bn of benefits

19/04/2023

London Mayor Sadiq Khan is demanding action over the ‘scandal’ that billiions of pounds are being paid to landlords for substandard properties.

Landlords accuse Government of complacency over benefits

18/04/2023

Landlords have accused the Government of complacency over tenants who cannot pay their housing costs.

Million children in poverty due to limit on benefits

06/04/2023

The two-child limit for payment of benefits is affecting 1.5m children, with more than a million of them growing up in poverty, according to campaigners.

Half of homeless children forced to move schools

09/03/2023

Almost half of school age children who have become homeless have been forced to move schools as a result of living in temporary homes, charity reveals.

Benefits £140 a month below everyday costs

27/02/2023

Poverty campaigners have called for a shakeup in the UK’s welfare system after finding that benefits are at least £140 a month below basic everyday costs.

Over 200,000 children missing out on free school meals

17/02/2023

Local authority leaders have called for the introduction of an automated sign-up system in order to expand access to free school meals to 215,000 children.

Councils call for ‘fair’ benefits system to help vulnerable

31/01/2023

Councils have warned that vulnerable and less well-off people are being hit hardest by the cost of living crisis.

Council calls for housing benefits funding review

20/01/2023

Councillors at Telford and Wrekin Council have called for an urgent review of the Government’s funding provision for housing benefits.

One million private renters at risk of eviction

01/12/2022

One in 12 private renters in England – or nearly one million people – are currently under threat of eviction, housing charity reveals.

Mini budgets, big budgets – the need for stability and direction is clear

14/11/2022

Sean Sutton argues revenues and benefits have always been at the forefront of implementing new and innovative ways of delivering services – no more so than in the current climate.

Benefit cuts leave council welfare schemes ‘over-burdened’

28/10/2022

Cuts to benefits have left local authority-administered discretionary welfare support funds ‘over-burdened’, think tank warns.

Benefits set to be 6% below pre-pandemic levels

19/10/2022

Benefits next year are on course to be 6% below their pre-pandemic levels, financial experts predict.

Foodbank workers call on PM to increase benefits

17/10/2022

Thousands of food bank workers have signed a letter calling on the Prime Minister to increase benefits and to end the reliance on food banks.

Benefit cuts to reduce incomes of nine million households

13/10/2022

Plans to cut benefits by increasing them below inflation will leave the poorest struggling to get by on incomes that will drop to levels not seen since 2000.

Landlords call for cost-of-living plan

30/09/2022

Landlords have urged the Chancellor to adopt a cost-of-living plan for the private rented sector.

75,000 children stuck in London’s temporary housing

30/09/2022

More than 75,000 children are housed in temporary accommodation in London because of a lack of affordable housing and low benefits.

Six million people on disability benefits to receive £150

20/09/2022

Six million people who are paid certain disability benefits will begin to receive a one-off payment of £150 from today to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

Disabilities charity calls for ‘immediate increase’ in benefits

12/09/2022

A charity has called for an ‘immediate increase’ in disability benefits and for more assistance with energy costs to help families with disabled children.

London councils warn of ‘devastating’ homelessness spike

26/08/2022

The cost-of-living crisis and increases in private rents are set to cause a homelessness spike in the coming months, London boroughs have warned.

Former PM warns of cost of living ‘humanitarian crisis’

08/08/2022

Government support to help with the cost of living crisis falls short for households on benefits and risks a 'humanitarian crisis', former PM says.

Call to simplify devolved-benefits in Wales

28/07/2022

A new report has called on the Welsh Government to simplify the benefit system to help more people during the cost of living crisis.

MPs call for pause in benefit deductions to help struggling families

27/07/2022

MPs have urged the DWP to pause deductions from benefits to help families who are struggling to get by due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Seven more Scottish councils make Adult Disability Payment available

25/07/2022

The Adult Disability Payment is now available in seven more council areas in Scotland ahead of national roll out on 29 August.

Disabled benefit claimants forced to wait five months for first payment

06/07/2022

Benefit claimants applying for disability support are waiting around five months on average to be awarded their first payment, financial experts have revealed.

Over 820,000 households struggling to pay rent

08/06/2022

Landlords have called on the Chancellor to unfreeze housing benefit as they warn that hundreds of thousands of people struggle to pay their monthly rents.

Council chiefs welcome £15bn cost of living package

26/05/2022

Local authority leaders have welcomed the Chancellor’s multi-billion-pound announcement of cost of living payments but called for a ‘longer-term solution’.

MPs voice ‘concerns’ over lack of funding for Ukrainian refugees

04/05/2022

MPs have joined council leaders in calling on Government to provide councils with funding to support Ukrainian refugees arriving via the family visa scheme.

Around 50% of Muslim households living in poverty

04/04/2022

Half of Muslim UK households are living in poverty and deprivation compared to 18% of the general UK population, an Islamic charity has revealed.

Homeless deaths increase 80% in two years

31/03/2022

The number of people dying while homeless has increased by 80% in two years, shocking new research reveals.

Household income to experience 'sharpest fall since mid-1970s’

08/03/2022

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is likely to cause typical household incomes across Britain to fall by 4% in the coming financial year, think tank says.

Nine million families will be £500 worse off from April, analysis reveals

25/02/2022

A real-terms cut to benefits could push 400,000 people into poverty by April, new analysis has warned today.

Sunak unveils £150 council tax rebate

03/02/2022

Local authorities have been tasked with administering a council tax rebate and £144m fund to soften the impact of soaring energy prices.

More social housing could save councils nearly £600m a year on housing support

18/10/2021

A new study has calculated that councils could save millions if money spent on housing support was invested in building homes in the social rented sector.

Personal Independence Payment for people with mental health problems: Implications for local government

18/10/2021

Richard Machin outlines the findings of a new paper exploring the impact of welfare reform on local government services.

Counties see fastest growth in number of people claiming out of work benefits

28/05/2021

County councils have warned that a 'narrow and simplistic focus' in the levelling-up agenda risks England’s economic recovery from the pandemic.

Confusion and stigma stopped half a million people claiming UC during pandemic

20/04/2021

Around half a million people failed to claim for Universal Credit during the start of the pandemic despite being eligible for the benefit, new research has found.

Charity warns of soaring food bank use if UC uplift ends

04/02/2021

One in five people on Universal Credit are 'very likely' to use a food bank if the £20 weekly uplift is removed, new research has found.

Councils urged to back £20 Universal Credit uplift

10/12/2020

Councils have been urged to lobby the Government to make the £20 uplift in Universal Credit permanent by trade union Unite.

Study highlights ‘appalling’ rise in destitution in the UK

09/12/2020

The number of people experiencing destitution in the UK has increased by 54% in two years, a new study has found.

Think tank calls for a 'family stimulus' boost

28/10/2020

A 'family stimulus' would help support hard-hit families through the pandemic, a new report has said.

Councils warn of ‘avalanche of evictions’

21/08/2020

The local government sector is braced for a deluge of homelessness following the end of the evictions ban.

Politicians calls for universal basic income to jumpstart economy

22/04/2020

The Government has been urged to make Universal Basic Income a crucial part of its coronavirus recovery plan by 110 MPs and Peers.

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