The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) says that landlords need incentives to drive improvements in the private rented sector as thousands of tenants were living in homes that are sub-standard and in need of modernisation. ARLA wants the government to introduce incentives such as tax relief, to encourage landlords to improve their properties, arguing
Research by the Liberal Democrats has found that thousands of vulnerable people are being forced into bankruptcy or selling their homes to pay for legal action, as town halls use aggressive tactics to chase council tax arrears. More than a million people have been summoned to court for falling behind with the council tax payment;
The promise to eradicate child poverty by 2020 looks set to be abandoned, according to the Child Poverty Action Group. Although Chancellor Alistair Darling repeated the government’s commitment yesterday, campaigners said that levels of poverty have been rising. In yesterday’s Budget Mr Darling is offering only a £20 a year increase to the child tax
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is writing to 200,000 pensioners who receive pension credit to encourage them to contact their local council to check if they are entitled to help with the council tax or housing costs. Pensions minister Rosie Winterton said the government wanted everyone to receive the help they are entitled
In a case highlighting the ‘perverse nature’ of the housing benefit which allows claimants to live in subsidised properties that most taxpayers could not afford, a family of five has been place by their council in a £2 million property, costing more than £91,000 a year in rent. Figures released under Freedom of Information show
In an article in today’s Guardian, David Cameron outlined a series of measures on the reform of local government. He says the Tories would hold referendums in the 12 largest cities outside London, including Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Newcastle, to allow voters to decide on directly elected mayors; give local people the power to veto
The strict working restrictions for Eastern Europeans will not be scrapped the government announced recently. The worker registration scheme ‘works for the British labour market and the country as a whole’ and allows for planning for local services, the government argued, while maintaining the restrictions means A8 nationals will not have full access to benefits
Treasury figures show that welfare payments will exceed income tax receipts by almost £25 billion in 2009/10. Treasury is expecting to take in £140.5 billion on gross income tax receipts, and pay out £164.7 billion in social security benefits, growing to £170.9 billion in 2010/11, equal to government spend on the NHS, schools and universities
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the UK economy shrank by 2.44 per cent in the first quarter of 2009 â the fastest rate in more than 50 years, and much worse than expected. Gross domestic product has fallen 4.9 per cent in year on year figures â the largest drop on record.
The government has been accused of creating a poverty trap with changes to the tax credit and benefit system for up to two million low earners. Those earning just above the minimum wage and receiving housing benefit are likely to face the highest penalty, as small increases in earnings could result in a loss of