10 March 2011
The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has launched judicial review proceedings over proposals to cut housing benefit for private sector tenants on 1 April 2011.
The cuts will cap housing benefit and impose a limit of four bedrooms per household. CPAG cites London mayor Boris Johnston’s estimate that about 9,000 households in the capital will have to leave their home.
CPAG says this will affect over 20,000 children. It argues the changes are contrary to the fundamental purpose of the housing benefit scheme and the cuts will disproportionately affect lone parents and ethnic minorities and contravene the government’s equality duties.
