Benefits cuts: the facts

By Kaye Wiggins

Disability payments

From this year, Disability Living Allowance will be abolished and replaced by a new type of benefit, the Personal Independence Payment. People claiming DLA will have to reapply for PIP, but they may not get it because the criteria are different. The Department for Work and Pensions expects to see the number of people claiming the benefit fall by 20%.

BRIXTON IMPACT

3,535 people receive DLA and so are at risk of losing some payments

————————-

“Bedroom tax”

The government is set to charge council and housing association tenants that “under-occupy” space in their home. It has assumed that one bedroom is enough for two children under 10, regardless of their gender, and that two siblings of the same sex should share a bedroom until age 16. If households have one “spare” bedroom under these rules they will lose 14% of their housing benefit and if they have two or more “spare” rooms they will lose 25% of the money. It begins on 1st April.

BRIXTON IMPACT

714 households affected

Average weekly income loss: £20

————————–

Benefits cap

No out-of-work household will be able to claim more than £500 per week in benefits and no single person will be able to claim more than £350 per week – although there are exemptions for people claiming disability benefits. This is due to come into force between June and September this year. Any benefits above this level will be docked from housing benefit payments.

BRIXTON IMPACT

149 households capped

264 children affected by cap at Lambeth schools

Average weekly income loss: £85

————————–

Council tax

Almost 6,000 Brixton households will be asked to pay council tax for the first time, having been exempt because of low incomes. These households will be charged £160 per year.