Housing benefits, not barriers
Housing benefit is holding people back from work – and it needs to be reformed.
There’s been agreement on this for years from housing benefit recipients, politicians across the political spectrum, academics and benefits advisors. Yet the complexity of the system is always cited as a barrier to reform and we’re still waiting for change.
Crisis housing benefit campaign
Crisis was delighted in 2009 when more than 80 MPs signed two motions backing our campaign and the Government announced in its March 2009 budget that it would consult on reforming housing benefit.
This consultation was launched in December 2009. It contained some proposals that Crisis supported, but also some measures which would concern us. Read the Crisis response. In March 2010, Crisis launched a new piece of research, shedding further light on the problems faced by claimants in finding accommodation they can afford and getting back into work.
Read articles in Inside Housing and The Guardian by Crisis Chief Executive Leslie Morphy on the housing benefit problem.
Crisis will be campaigning as the reform process continues to make sure housing benefit helps and not hinders homeless people's ambitions. You can help by signing up to become a Crisis e-campaigner.
