Public sector housing rent due to increase

The change will come into effect on April 1st with the average increase between £1.39 and £2.94 a week. 

 

Our listeners have been having their say on this - Joanne says compared to private rents the increase is "nothing", Kevin says it's "long overdue" whilst Alan queries introducing means testing.

 

However Gemma says for people already struggling "it's not fair" - she says with everything else to pay for it will be hard and Lisa agrees saying people's wages haven't increased to fund it. 

 

Government says public rents remain significantly lower than those for equivalent housing in the private sector - those people receiving housing-related benefits will not be affected.