Welfare changes to hit poorest areas in Southampton
1st February 2012
The Government’s Welfare Bill will hit Southampton's poorest communities the hardest, says a new analysis by Southampton's Labour MPs. Bevois, Bitterne, Redbridge, Woolston and Millbrook will see the largest number of residents have their benefits cut.
The analysis shows:
- 2600 homes will no longer be available to working families on low incomes because of housing benefit changes
- 360 single parents will be expected to look for work, adding to the number chasing fewer jobs
- 2250 are likely to lose Disability Living Allowance
- Of those claiming Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disability Allowance, 660 are likely to lose all entitlement to benefits, with another 1100 expected to look for work
The 5 hardest hit wards
- Redbridge: 443 people are expected to be affected by the changes, including 207 people losing DLA, 154 people losing IB /SDA and 83 single parents losing Income Support.
- Bitterne: 443 people are expected to be hit: 193 losing DLA, 139 losing IB/SDA and 88 single parents losing IS.
- Bevois: 417 people are expected to be hit: 164 losing DLA, 178 losing IB/SDA and 75 single parents losing IS.
- Woolston: 381 people are expected to be hit: 173 losing DLA, 136 losing IB/SDA and 73 single parents losing IS.
- Millbrook: 356 people are expected to be hit: 167 losing DLA, 124 losing IB/SDA and 65 single parents losing IS.
Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, says:
“It’s true that the Government’s welfare changes will concentrate the “pain” of lost benefits in the poorest parts of Southampton, which poses very real problems for those communities over the next few years.
“But it’s also true to say these numbers show there are people threatened by these welfare changes who live in every part of Southampton. What’s so destructive about the Government’s current approach is that it has set arbitrary targets for reducing claimant numbers without first specifying the precise criteria it will use to do so. That means vulnerable people struggling with daily pain and illness are now also having to cope with the threat of lost benefits hanging over them.
“Of course it’s right to help people off benefits and into work, which is why Labour helped about 42,000 people off incapacity benefit and into work over the last decade. But any approach that is focused on meeting an arbitrary target rather than looking at the real causes of long term unemployment is doomed to failure and will just make life worse for people who are already struggling.”
John Denham, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, says:
“Everyone in Southampton who can work should be working or looking for work. No one should expect to live their life on benefits if they could be working. But these changes are coming so quickly and with such unpredictable results that the whole city community is going to have to work hard to make sure that families are not left struggling to find work or without the support they need through no fault of their own.
”The Labour Party accepts the need for sensible welfare reform, but we are concerned that these reforms have gone too far. As well as taking Employment Support Allowance away from disabled children who will be unable to build up a national insurance contribution record, we will also see the impact of housing benefit changes that could make 20,000 people homeless across the UK. We also need to ensure that the tests that disabled people face are fairly and properly administered so that they enjoy public confidence.
“Everybody agrees that those that are able to work in Southampton should be doing so. This is a vital component of a properly functioning welfare system. However, we need to make sure that families are not left out of work and struggling to make ends meet through no fault of their own”
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