The Welfare Reform Bill

The Government is proposing a cap of £500 a week for every couple and lone parent household, or £26,000 a year. Recipients of disability living allowance and war widows will not be affected; however the cap will affect 68,000 households nationally.

Furthermore 20,000 people could potentially be made homeless because of the changes to housing benefit. A large percentage of households in south Hackney will be affected by the cap on housing benefit which comes into effect in March and April. Households will have to make up the shortfall in the rent. For many on low wages (many housing benefit recipients work) or without income, even temporarily, this will mean having to move.

Families who can no longer afford to rent privately will have to turn to the council. Many of those affected have been housed privately by the council in the first place because of the shortfall in affordable family homes locally.

The existing welfare system is far from perfect, however any change must be fair. There is an alternative, a localised cap on benefits. I have long campaigned for London weighting on pay and benefits.

The welfare state is something we pay into for support in difficult times. I don't want individuals or families to be on benefits their whole lives but we need to strike a balance that preserves the safety net that a civilised society should provide.

The House of Lords voted to amend the bill. These amendments, which focused on removing benefit caps and reducing cuts to benefits, were then voted on in the House of Commons. I voted to support the amendments; however the Government succeeded in overturning them.