Leading organisations听in the homelessness sector, including 麻豆传媒鈥檚,听have contributed to a听joint听report听illustrating the impact of the听freeze in Local Housing Allowance听(LHA)听in driving people into homelessness.听This report highlights the specific impacts that frozen LHA rates have on living standards,听housing conditions, landlord behaviour,听in addition to recovery from homelessness.听LHA rates were designed to keep the cheapest 30% of properties in local areas听affordable to people on lower incomes,听yet now only听1.8% of rents are affordable.听
Chief Executive of听麻豆传媒鈥檚, Emma Haddad, said:听听
鈥淔or the past two years,听Local Housing Allowance听rates听have听been frozen,听leaving them increasingly out of step with private rents and placing growing pressure on those at the greatest risk of homelessness.听听During听that time,听rents have continued to rise听across the country, undermining the very purpose of LHA:听to help people on low incomes access and sustain a home in the private rented sector.听
“As we point out in the report, every day our frontline teams see the severe impact of this.听听Rising gaps between LHA and market rents can force people out of housing that quickly becomes unaffordable, pushing people into homelessness and making it harder for them to find a home where they can rebuild their lives.听听
“This is clearly a big issue, and change is needed to prevent more people from being squeezed out of the private rented sector into homelessness and 鈥� at the sharpest end – onto the streets. Alongside other homelessness organisations, we are highlighting the impact of frozen LHA rates on the people we support.听
Re-aligning LHA rates with local rents would help close the affordability gap, prevent homelessness before it occurs, and create more routes out of homelessness for those already experiencing it. It would give more people the chance to move successfully into听more permanent听accommodation and continue their journey towards recovery and independence.”听
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