Family of 10 paid more than £26,000 in housing benefit

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Bill Payments

A family of 10 from Oxford is being paid more than £26,000 a year in housing benefit to live in the private rented sector, it has been revealed.

The payout is the highest in the city, according to research by the Oxford Times, and represents a monthly rent of more than £2,000 a month.

The figure is the same as the overall benefits cap that the Government is seeking to introduce through the Welfare Reform Bill, currently being debated in the House of Lords.

According to the newspaper, the family has received more than £200,000 in housing benefit since 2004.

The Oxford Times also revealed that four other families received between £17,902 and £20,164 last year in housing benefit.

Oxford City Council paid out £43.8 million in housing benefit in 2005/06, but this has risen to £61.1m so far this financial year, the paper reports.

Deputy council leader Ed Turner said the final bill could top £80 million.

He said rising unemployment and a shortage of affordable properties was to blame for the rising benefits bill.

Oxford East Labour MP Andrew Smith said: “The way to bring down the housing benefit bill is to build more affordable homes and grow the number of jobs.”

A Department of Work and Pensions spokesman, said: “It’s not fair that benefit claimants can receive higher incomes than families who are in work.”

Taxpayers’ Alliance spokesman Emma Boon said: “This is further evidence that the proposed welfare cap is a good idea.

“It cannot be right that some people are being supported in accommodation that is more expensive than many taxpayers can afford for themselves.”