She said that, under the current housing benefit system, local authorities can cross-check claims across a range of data relating to other council services; unless the centrally controlled DWP was able to cross-check universal credit claims in a similar way, «it may be less effective in tackling fraud and error». (theguardian.com)
Chancellor George Osborne also promised to put an end to the current housing benefit system, which sees some families claiming up to # 104,000 a year, and costs the country # 21 billion annually. (channel4.com)
Government ministers» belief that the housing benefits system is «out of control» is unjustified, a housing research charity has claimed. (politics.co.uk)