Norwich housing trust warn rising cost of living is fuelling housing crisis
Local housing benefits are being increasingly used to fill the void between rising rent prices and tightening budgets
A housing trust in Norwich is warning that the rising cost of living is stopping the Government from tackling the country's growing housing crisis.
With housing benefits increasingly being used to fill the void between rising rent prices and tightening budgets, over here.
"We are starting to see the cost of living really biting"
Jan Sheldon is Chief Executive Of St Martins: "The housing benefits bill is going up and up- which is costing central and local government.
"They are not able to afford to build new houses because they are fighting the fire with housing benefits rather than being able to think more long term".
She also told us local homeless figures are heading in the wrong direction, as well: "Unfortunately our last independent street count in Norwich showed that we had 26 people on the streets- which is a 160% increase on November, so we are starting to see the cost of living really biting and more people ending up on the streets."
"Housing benefit is being used to plug the gap"
Ms Sheldon went on to tell us that even some of the cheapest prices, are out of reach for many now- and that national support is vitally needed: "A one bed-room apartment in Kings Lynn, that's around ÂŁ764 for a months rent, in Norwich it's ÂŁ756, in Bungay it's near ÂŁ650- so if you think of 80% of those costs that's not affordable to many people.
"What's happening now is that housing benefit is being used to plug the gap between the rent income and what people can afford.
"We're looking at long-term solutions and we need the Government to fix the housing crisis. There aren't enough social-housing opportunities for people.
"That's the thing that makes the difference, because if people live in secure and permanent accommodation that's going to make a big impact."