What's Housing Benefit For?
Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, asks why Britain spends such vast sums on Housing Benefit - now 拢25 billion. What good does it do?
Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, asks why Britain spends such vast sums on Housing Benefit - now 拢25 billion. He examines the history of these payments and how government funding for house-building has gradually changed into subsidies for rents, especially to private landlords. 40% of tenants in private housing receive Housing Benefit. Critics argue that these have distorted the market and failed to address the fundamental shortage of housing supply. Paul asks how we got here and whether anything can change.
Producer: Adam Bowen.
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- Mon 21 Sep 2015 20:30麻豆官网首页入口 Radio 4
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Analysis
Programme examining the ideas and forces which shape public policy in Britain and abroad.