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New analysis from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) finds that a combination of welfare reforms, rising numbers of children in the private rented sector and a lack of investment in building social housing has led, and will continue to lead, to increasing child poverty, unless the gover

Housing minister Paul McLennan has written to the UK Government calling on them to reverse the recent budget decision to keep rates at 2024-25 levels for the coming year. In his letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mr McLennan said the move will further widen the gap between Local

As many as 20,000 private renters, including 10,000 children, will be pulled into poverty in 2025/26 if the UK Government doesn't commit to unfreezing Local Housing Allowance (LHA) in the Budget on October 30, JRF has warned.

The UK Government has been urged to assess the "inadequacy and volatility" of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) in the wake of new private rent inflation figures.

Just 8.5% of private rental homes are likely to be affordable to Universal Credit claimants, despite increases to the amount of housing benefit they can access from next month. Local Housing Allowance will increase from 1 April for the first time since April 2020. Yet Savills research has found the

Housing minister Paul McLennan has urged the UK Government to commit to linking Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates to rents in future years to protect private renters on low incomes. Speaking ahead of the forthcoming UK Budget, the minister also said the Treasury should reverse the forecast 10% rea

Gavin Smith, chair of the CIH Scotland Board and service manager at Fife Council, reflects on the Autumn Statement and what it means for the private rented sector. On 22 November the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, announced as part of the UK Government’s Autumn Statement that Local

The decision by the UK Government to freeze Local Housing Allowance rates could put tenancies at risk across Scotland, housing minister Kevin Stewart has warned. Mr Stewart has written to the UK Government his expressing disappointment at secretary of state for pensions Thér&eg

Housing minister Kevin Stewart has written to secretary of state for work and pensions Thérèse Coffey to urge her to reconsider the decision to freeze Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates for the coming financial year. The Scottish Government said the decision on LHA rates, which i

Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to ensure the Local Housing Allowance is guaranteed to cover at least 30% of market rents in a claimant’s area has been welcomed by Shelter Scotland. The announcement came in last week’s package of support for workers in which it was also revealed

Housing minister Kevin Stewart has called on the UK Government to deliver a multi-year plan for investment to prevent future welfare cuts putting more people at risk of homelessness. Last month the UK Government revealed it will increase Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates in line with the Cons

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are to be increased to be in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate from April, the UK Government has confirmed. The change could result in 900,000 people seeing their benefits increase and will see the amount of housing benefit received by c

A new investigation has highlighted the dearth of accommodation that families on benefits can afford in Scotland’s largest cities and in rural areas.

As CIH Scotland submits evidence to the Scottish Parliament's social security committee, policy and practice manager Ashley Campbell takes a look at some of the current problems with Universal Credit. In 2010 the Coalition Government unveiled plans that would shake the foundations of the welfare sta

Annie Mauger Even the lowest private rents are now out of reach for people on low incomes – putting thousands at increased risk of homelessness, the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has found.