Clive Jones

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Efford. I thank the co-sponsors of this debate, the hon. Members for Harrow East (Bob Blackman) and for Liverpool Wavertree (Paula Barker), for securing it. Local housing allowance is meant to help people on low incomes afford private rent by covering the cheapest 30% of homes in an area, but it has been frozen for years while rents have continued to rise. The result is that housing benefit no longer reflects the real cost of renting, and thousands are struggling to keep a roof over their head with no extra support. Getting a discretionary housing payment is not simple. Renters already face barriers such as needing guarantors or are discriminated against for needing extra help, and delays in securing support mean that many lose their homes entirely. Raising the local housing allowance alone is not enough, however, because without increasing the benefit cap, which has barely moved since 2013, many households would not see the full benefit. My constituent, Yasmin, said that finding somewhere affordable that would also take someone on benefits was like finding a needle in a haystack and that the whole process was one of the worst times of her life. She was made to feel as though she was not even a human being. What Yasmin wants is what we all want: a safe, secure home that is affordable and has long-term stability. As she says, “I really hope we can have a country where this basic human right is accessible for everyone.” It is time for a system that supports people, rather than leaving them behind. Will the Government act urgently to address the inadequate LHA rates, which have been frozen until 2026, and implement extra support that is not first come, first served, but designed to help everyone who needs it?