LuckyStrike
29th January 2011, 02:14 PM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1351537/The-10-families-costing-1m-state-handouts.html
Ten families in England are sharing an astonishing £1million a year in housing benefits, it emerged last night.
The huge sums being lavished on the families by the taxpayer are allowing them to live in streets normally reserved for millionaires.
Five of the families are receiving the maximum payment of £2,000 per week.
It is the first proof that George Osborne was correct when he claimed some households were receiving sums in excess of £100,000 a year.
Last night, the Chancellor told the Daily Mail: ‘It is precisely this kind of shocking waste of public money under the previous Labour government that led to Britain’s debt problems.
‘We are bringing an end to this by putting a cap on the total amount of benefit that a family can receive so the days of £100,000 housing benefit claims are gone.’
The Coalition triggered a furious reaction last year when it unveiled plans to cut the top rate of housing benefit to £400 a week. Chris Bryant, the Labour justice spokesman, said the cuts would lead to ‘social cleansing’, with 200,000 people forced out of the capital.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, also spoke of a ‘Kosovo-style’ exodus.
Critics even questioned whether Mr Osborne could back his claim that some families were in receipt of six-figure annual sums.
But Freedom of Information replies received by this newspaper show there are at least ten families in London sharing a £1million housing benefit bill between them.
More at the above link
Ten families in England are sharing an astonishing £1million a year in housing benefits, it emerged last night.
The huge sums being lavished on the families by the taxpayer are allowing them to live in streets normally reserved for millionaires.
Five of the families are receiving the maximum payment of £2,000 per week.
It is the first proof that George Osborne was correct when he claimed some households were receiving sums in excess of £100,000 a year.
Last night, the Chancellor told the Daily Mail: ‘It is precisely this kind of shocking waste of public money under the previous Labour government that led to Britain’s debt problems.
‘We are bringing an end to this by putting a cap on the total amount of benefit that a family can receive so the days of £100,000 housing benefit claims are gone.’
The Coalition triggered a furious reaction last year when it unveiled plans to cut the top rate of housing benefit to £400 a week. Chris Bryant, the Labour justice spokesman, said the cuts would lead to ‘social cleansing’, with 200,000 people forced out of the capital.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, also spoke of a ‘Kosovo-style’ exodus.
Critics even questioned whether Mr Osborne could back his claim that some families were in receipt of six-figure annual sums.
But Freedom of Information replies received by this newspaper show there are at least ten families in London sharing a £1million housing benefit bill between them.
More at the above link