With a near 40% increase in council tenants already in arrears, Highland Council argues this is necessary because of the absence of the appropriate housing stock to accommodate tenants who wish to move to a smaller house.
There are 86 communities in the Highlands where there is no option of tenants moving to a one-bedroom house.
The council’s Finance Housing and Resources Committee was given an update on the Highland impact of Welfare Reform, including the Benefit Gap and the introduction of Universal Credit, which will roll six benefits into one with the aim of simplifying the benefit system and ensuring people are better off in work.
But councillors have been advised that the total number of tenants in arrears in the first quarter of this financial year was 1175, an increase of 451, and that the value of arrears has increased to £269,687, a rise of £96,196.
Councillor Dave Fallows, Chair of Highland’s Finance Housing and Resources Committee, said: “The trouble in the Highlands is that we do not have sufficient capacity to accommodate those tenants who wish to downsize to avoid the penalty of losing housing benefit through living in a house with a spare room.”
Of the 3000-population exemption, he said: “I will now be writing to our MPs for their support for this concession and also the Minister for Welfare Reform to urge that the Government confirms this as policy.”
Same Difference 
An update it is now on line from the main Sussex newspaper Crawley man killed himself after losing benefits
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8:30am Tuesday 3rd September 2013 in News By Finn Scott-Delany, Senior Reporter.
Crawley man killed himself after losing benefits
A protest was staged in memory of a Crawley man who committed suicide after losing his benefits.
Unemployed electrician Lee Robinson, 39, took his own life after his housing benefit and council tax benefit was taken away.
He is thought to be the first person in Sussex whose suicide is officially linked to recent benefits cuts.
Campaigner Richard Symonds, who helped organise the protest, said: “Lee Robinson was hounded to death by the very people who were supposed to help him live.
“Undoubtedly the DWP personified by Ian Duncan Smith and Lord Freud had a part to play in implementing the policies that would make Hitler proud.”
Mr Robison, of Furzefield, Crawley, had battled depression after failing to find work.
When benefits changes were introduced by the Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) Mr Robinson lost his automatic entitlement to employment support allowance (ESA).
He also struggled with depression, was taking antidepressants and had some contact with mental health services in Crawley.
Speaking at Mr Robinson’s inquest, Penelope Schofield, coroner for West Sussex, said: “Mr Robinson tried to be positive but found it hard in the economic climate.
“His main issues were his benefits had been stopped and he had to go to the job centre to claim jobseekers allowance.”
He was found to have taken his own life at the inquest in County Hall, Horsham, on August 21.
A statement read on behalf of Mr Robinson’s family said: “We feel very sad that Lee had been trying to access mental health services for years but had only recently been referred.
“It’s far too little, much too late.”
A spokesman for Crawley Borough Council said: “We were saddened to hear of Mr Robinson’s death. Mr Robinson was in receipt of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit until the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stopped his Employment Support Allowance in January this year.
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“The DWP’s decision automatically stops any automatic entitlement to benefits paid by the council. The council suspended the benefits and were waiting on Mr Robinson to provide further information.”
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/10649155.Crawley_man_killed_himself_after_losing_benefits/
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Memorial service for the victims of Atos
Published on 23 Aug 2013
Disability activists in Cardiff, hold a memorial service for the victims of Atos, at the end of a week long vigil.
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