Benefits crisis on way, warns councillor

Nov 16 2012 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post

Cuts to housing benefits could plunge a council into crisis.

That’s the warning from South Ayrshire’s former housing spokesman.

And Douglas Campbell fears the waiting list for council properties could spiral out of control.

Welfare reforms which kick in on April 1, 2013, could see some council tenants lose as much as 25 per cent from their housing benefits.

The new rules are aiming to stop people ‘under-occupying’ by living in a house with too many bedrooms.

And with 1300 tenants in South Ayrshire set to be affected, many may start to look for alternative homes in the council system.

But SNP leader, Cllr Campbell, says that’s a disaster waiting to happen. He warned: “Here we are with individuals and families being told overnight that their home is too big and they either have to move or find more than £400 a year to make up the shortfall in their rent. At a time where there are more than 4000 people already waiting on a house in South Ayrshire we are going to add up to another 1300 who need a smaller home.”

Housing spokesman, Cllr Phil Saxton, said: “Big changes are coming for tenants across South Ayrshire and we need to ensure we hold the right information to make sure they continue to receive all the benefits they are entitled to.”