Rent shortfalls force more UK households to make stark choices
Renters are increasingly relying on food banks as local housing allowance falls short of the cost of renting, with a Wirral mother describing how she prioritises keeping a roof over her family’s head. The reported gap is £158 a month for a two-bedroom home locally and can reach £324 in London.
A growing gap between housing benefit and private rents is forcing some UK renters to choose between paying for housing, food and heating, The Guardian reports. Laura Braddock, a 39-year-old single mother from Wirral, Merseyside, said she pays the rent first and manages other household needs as best she can. She is among renters turning to food banks, according to the report.
The monthly rent for Braddock’s two-bedroom flat is said to exceed the local housing allowance she receives. The gap is £158 a month for a two-bedroom property in the area, while the shortfall can rise to £324 in London. Braddock said that having a roof over her family’s head was the priority and that she could improvise with other needs.
Her account illustrates the pressure created when the allowance does not meet the rent charged. The report says the gap may widen, increasing the difficulty faced by households already balancing housing, food and winter warmth. It does not provide figures for the total number of affected renters or details of any government response.
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