Housing Benefit For Young People In Gloucestershire

EDM number 776 in 1995-96, proposed by Nigel Jones on 23/04/1996.

That this House is appalled that the Government's plans to restrict the maximum amount of housing benefit payable to people under 25 years will result in a major increase in homelessness amongst young people in Gloucestershire; recommends to the Government the report, Compound Homelessness published recently by Shelter which projects over 900 young people in Gloucestershire could face homelessness in the year following the introduction of this measure; notes the partnership arrangements between statutory and voluntary agencies throughout Gloucestershire which have meant the country has not developed a serious youth homelessness problem in recent years; supports the network of young single housing projects in Gloucestershire who have successfully resolved housing problems by making positive use of the private rented sector in line with Government recommendations; believes this policy of preventing youth homelessness has proved very cost-effective, especially when compared to the costs of reintegrating homeless people back into housing; further believes the proposed housing benefit restrictions will dramatically reduce the effectiveness of the Gloucestershire projects and lead directly to an increase in youth homelessness in the county; and calls on the Government to withdraw these iniquitous Regulations forthwith.

This motion has been signed by a total of 18 MPs.