Benefit reform in London

The Government's welfare reform proposals will impact disproportionately on the most vulnerable Londoners.

LVSC is working with a number of other groups in London to lobby against the £26,000 total household benefit cap, and other parts of the Welfare Reform Bill that have disproportionately negative impacts on the income of the poorest Londoners.

Please email us if you'd like to get involved.

The latest data and research show that these reforms are beginning to show a number of concerning social impacts in London and more widely.

In January 2012, these include:

A Crisis campaign highlighting that the housing benefit reforms introduced in the New Year will cost those they affect an average of £12 per week (this is likely to be more in London). Research they have commissioned shows that housing benefit is the main factor in ensuring that low income households don't become homeless,

A survey by Shelter has suggested that almost one million people have taken on a payday loan to help pay their rent or mortgage in the last 12 months and 15% of respondents had used some form of credit to meet housing costs, . The implementation of the additional caps and reforms in 2012 is likely to increase this debt problem.

A survey by Inside Housing has also revealed that the number of people now being placed in emergency accommodation is increasing dramatically in London, As the welfare benefit reforms are implemente, more and more people are becoming unable to afford private sector rents in the capital.. This situation is predicted to worsen as more measures are introduced in 2012.

Earlier research and briefings on new welfare reform policy and legislation and its possible implications are detailed below:

Lodon Councils' research which concentrates on the impacts of the introduction of Universal Credit in London specifically.

London Councils: Does the cap fit? (PDF 845KB)

A letter detailing London VCS organisations concerns about current welfare reform policy and its disproportionate impacts on the poorest Londoners.

Letter and briefing on total household benefit cap (Word, 36KB)

The Department for Work and Pensions' assessment of the impact of the reforms on equalities groups: Equalty Impact Assessment (EIA)

Household benefit cap - equality impact assessment (PDF, 91KB)

Minutes of campaign meetings

Minutes of housing benefit roundtable 24 Jan 2011 (Word, 56Khouseholds don;t become homeless.B)