The government are planning huge changes to housing benefit

By Douglas Alexander MP / @DAlexanderMP

You’ve probably seen on the news that the government are planning huge changes to housing benefit.

At a time when five unemployed people are chasing every vacancy in the British economy, the Tories and Lib Dems are proposing that people should lose 10% of their housing benefit after being unable to find work for 12 months.

This is a government that says that if you can’t find a job you’ll lose money – regardless if you attend interviews, re-train, learn a new skill and do everything you can to find one.

At a time when the government’s own figures say we’re going to see 490,000 fewer public sector jobs and – according to the respected company PwC – 500,000 job losses in the private sector, we shouldn’t punish people who try and fail to find work.

We should be aiming to guarantee jobs for the long term unemployed, not risk homelessness for those who are doing their best to find work.

I’m urging Lib Dem MPs to join us and force the government to think again. You can play your part by clicking here.