Government must raise housing benefit as crisis deepens for private renters

The pool of properties affordable to low-income renters is shrinking as rents rise and housing benefit remains frozen; housing benefits covered only the cheapest 18% of private rentals on average across local areas by September 2022.

Clearly this situation is unsustainable and completely untenable for low-income private renters who are among the most exposed to the worst impacts of the cost of living crisis.

Recommendation

• As an immediate priority, the Government should unfreeze Local Housing Allowance and, at a minimum, realign it with the 30th percentile of local market rents.