Thread by @Shelter

Today, we release our #FromTheFrontline report covering Universal Credit and local housing allowance (LHA): shltr.org.uk/hjm

We've used real life experiences to show how #UniversalCredit and #LHA are pushing people towards hardship and poverty.

Settle in for a /thread...

Our research shows that in 97% of areas a small family can’t afford even the cheapest local rents with #LHA.

This creates a shortfall between people’s rent and what they get in housing allowance; 65% of households have a shortfall. #FromTheFrontline

With #LHA not doing its job in covering the cost of renting, families have to make up shortfalls in other ways.

This means they are having to make decisions no family should have to make – such as whether to cut back on food or heating to pay the rent. #FromTheFrontline

The result of inadequate #LHA is that families are at risk of being evicted from their current property... 👪🏠

...but are also unable to find a suitable property where there isn’t an unsustainable shortfall. #FromTheFrontline

The knock-on impact is that councils are bearing the brunt of this, seeing rises in homelessness acceptances from private tenancies and spending £1bn on temporary accommodation in 2017-18 across England. 📈💰 #FromTheFrontline

Other issues with the design of #UniversalCredit are exacerbating the low levels of #LHA rates.

The five-week wait is pushing people further into poverty, leaving them without income and potentially into rent arrears. ⏳
#FromTheFrontline

Advance payments 𝘢𝘳𝘦 available, but they are a loan that has to be paid back at a very high rate.

Many of our service users, after high deductions, see their income slashed to as low as £100 or less for the whole month. #FromTheFrontline

#LHA must be restored back up to at least cover the bottom third of the rental market in every area in the country. ✅ #FromTheFrontline

Support @crisis_uk's #CoverTheCost campaign calling on the government to raise #LHA to cover rents: crisis.org.uk/get-involved/c…

We also believe the five-week wait for #UniversalCredit should also be abolished. ⏲️🚫#FromTheFrontline

Our friends at @TrussellTrust are running their own #5WeeksTooLong campaign, which you can support here: trusselltrust.org/five-weeks-too…

If you want to know more about our services' findings on #UniversalCredit and #LHA, you can read our full #FromTheFrontline report here: shltr.org.uk/hjn

Following our #FromTheFrontline report yesterday, we look at why the five-week wait for #UniversalCredit should be scrapped. #5WeeksTooLong
shltr.org.uk/hjt