JOBSEEKERS AND HOUSING BENEFIT

Early day motion 1182, tabled 13 December 2010 by Kate Green (Labour). Signed by 77 members.

That this House notes that the Office of Budget Responsibility forecasts 1.36 million people will be claiming jobseeker's allowance at the start of 2013; further notes that in areas of high unemployment jobseekers are outnumbering job vacancies by more than 10 to one and that it will take longer than 12 months for many applicants to find a job; further notes that many of these people will need to claim housing benefit to cover the cost of their rent whilst they are registered as jobseekers; is also concerned about people who have been on incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance who are moving over to jobseeker's allowance and who would have had less contact with the jobs market for many years; and therefore supports the National Housing Federation campaign calling on the Government to reconsider its proposals to reduce housing benefit by 10 per cent. for people claiming jobseeker's allowance for longer than one year, which will penalise people who have made every attempt to find work but who still remain unemployed.

Signatures by party: Labour 58, Liberal Democrat 11, DUP 3, Scottish National Party 2, Green 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.