Grant freeze marks death of social housing

Ken Loach: Government is 'cleansing' London

One of England’s leading film directors has accused the government of using benefit reform to ‘cleanse’ central London of poor people because it feels they disfigure the capital.

Peer pressure

The government’s welfare reforms faced a fierce opponent in Lord Richard Best as he battled to protect society’s poorest people. Carl Brown meets the staunch housing advocate to find out what drives him and what’s next on his agenda

Current welfare system 'completely broken' claims IDS

Universal Credit will change people’s lives and replace a welfare system which is ‘completely broken’ and ‘divorced from its founding ideals’ a government minister is expected to say.

The problem of rent

'Social care should target poor'

Extra cash for social care should be targeted at the poorest older people, a think-tank established by work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said.

The order of importance

The Localism Act allows councils to decide who they allocate homes to, but beware of discrimination, warns Samantha Hall, senior associate at Trowers & Hamlins

The big freeze

Kicking off our chief executive salaries special, Inside Housing’s annual survey reveals the economic downturn has put most pay on ice. Lydia Stockdale reports

Money matters

How do council housing heads and arm’s-length management organisation bosses fare in the salary stakes? Lydia Stockdale reveals the results of Inside Housing’s exclusive poll

Cheated out of their savings

Abusive financial practices targeting the elderly are on the rise, but so are measures to protect vulnerable housing association residents. Alex Turner reports

Special agents

Is your organisation ready for the introduction of new rights for agency workers, asks Siobhan Fitzgerald, lawyer at TLT