Employment and Housing Welfare
In England just over 41% of people in receipt of Universal Credit are employed. Nearly two thirds of all claimants receive Housing Entitlement.
Low wages, below-inflation pay increases and rising housing costs all play their part in making housing unaffordable. Having a job no longer means a worker can be sure of covering their housing costs.
The lack of affordable housing available means that the housing welfare bill to the taxpayer tends to rise. Today, 4.8 million households claim either Housing Entitlement or Housing Benefit, up from 4.3 million Housing Benefit claimants in 2012.
Nearly 2 million households who rent in the private sector claim Housing Entitlement or Housing Benefit, up nearly 370,000 on 2012.
Housing associations want to build the homes the nation needs. They aim to build the affordable housing that is better value to the taxpayer and directly addresses the housing crisis.
What is the housing welfare picture in your area? How does it compare with earnings and rents? Or the supply of new affordable homes?