LHA £15 rebate

[havensRus]

So much fuss has been made about this on the news in the past 24/48 hours.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8226032.stm

Rather than deal with the main problems, they tinker with the edges.

And Mr Field thinks that the result of the withdrawal of the £15 will be that landlord's incomes will increase .... he needs some educating about the realities of their so-called flagship reform.

[susanne]

when it first came in - one local council i deal with, had no mechanism to pay the tenant the "extra" so sent all the HB to the LL - they now pay by cheque to tenant.

has anyone a definitive link/date as to when this ridiculous scheme is being cancelled

[tom999]

The decision to remove the £15 excess was proposed in the 2009 Budget.

Here's the Minister of State's reply (http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2009-06-15b.279562.h) after being questioned by the opposition.

The proposal will come into effect from 5 April 2010,
see DWP: Local Housing Allowance – Removal of the £15 excess (http://dwp.gov.uk/docs/lha-eia-15-cap-reduction.pdf)

[jta]

I love the way our caring guvmint targets the poorest members of our society.
That 15 quid would not make a lot of difference to someone on a well paid full time job, for these LHA claimants it may be 50% of their weekly grocery bill.

[tom999]

for these LHA claimants it may be 50% of their weekly grocery bill.

.. or the weekly payment for their 50" plasma screen TV (http://www.amazon.co.uk/LG-50PB65-Widescreen-Plasma-Freeview/dp/B000TLRZ2Q/ref=pd_ts_ce_12?ie=UTF8&s=electronics). :D

[jta]

^^^Yeah , but that's just being sinikal. :D

[tom999]

True story
A couple of days ago, an LHA claimant said to me: "Ooh, I got a cracking deal!" (from a TV lease/loan company*)

Her: "New telly for just £7 a week...smashing bargain!...".
Looking into the lounge, mounted on the wall, was a brand new, sparkling, 50" LCD TV.

Her: "We've got this old one"
(pointing to the large LCD TV in the corner)
"Works fine, but we're flogging it at the cash for second-hand goods place up town."

Me: "So, why didn't you just keep the old telly?"

Her: "All my mates have got (a wall mounted) one..."

And they have - I've seen 'em...:)

Putting on the 'serious hat'
Yes, I have seen cases of genuine hardship, where people are struggling, but these are a minority, and in general, the UK benefits system provides well for those in need.


* Note: I have seen some of the TV lease/loan agreements, and although the weekly payments are low (less than £10 weekly), the total cost of the loan (TCC-Total Charge for Credit) can be upwards of 3x the cost of the product (typically over 2/3 years).

[ryouga]

Depends on what you mean for "those in need" my parents do own a PC which is about 6 years old paid for by the uni she went part time as she is disabled(and really is) apart from that they have no high priced items, a 10 year old CRT tv, a video recorder, a dvd player(all under £10 each new) and about half a dozen dvds.

They are "cosy" but poor but definately not rich, they can budget food to about £30 a week and eat fine as they dont eat take aways ever, and their idea of a treat is buying a coffee at Tesco's cafe or maybe sharing a £2 sandwich.

I dont know what people see as those in needs, is it so they can make ends meet and no more?

I hate seeing all these people on benefits living lives of luxury, I mentioned this as I am signing on for a few weeks and getting my first giro I was talking to security guard and he tells me about the people who come to the office in taxis from the other ends of town(at least £6 fare) then come in demanding crisis loans.

I think the majority of benefit claimants are good people, and the minority are bad its just a sizeable amount of the good ones arent as ill or in as such hardship as they think but each case is different.