The poor get poorer

Despite warnings from the Child Poverty Action Group of 600,000 more children falling into poverty in the lifetime of the coalition, George Osborne chose to continue with the squeeze on benefits and public sector pay. At the Tenant Participation Advisory Service’s workers’ conference this week, tenant involvement officers told Inside Housing’s breakfast briefing that many tenants were refusing to face up to the tough decisions they will have to make to ensure they can pay their rent. Eastlands Homes may have gotten itself into a hopeless mess this week on welfare reform, but it will surely agree with analysis by the G15 that the bedroom tax and other cuts will only push up the cost of managing social homes, restricting landlords’ ability to help provide training or create jobs by setting up social enterprises. This will have an impact on poor people, but not in a good way.