Simon Hughes has branded planned housing benefit cuts ‘draconian’
Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes is confident of gaining concessions on benefit cuts after holding talks with Nick Clegg, the BBC understands.
It follows threats of a backbench Lib Dem rebellion over the plans.
Mr Clegg, the deputy prime minister, has argued the cuts are needed to save cash but are “fair”.
But Mr Hughes and other Lib Dem MPs have branded them “draconian” and said they will hit poor families in London and other inner cities.
Some families could see their rents more than treble under the housing benefit proposals, leading critics to predict an exodus of poor families to the suburbs.
Mr Hughes is believed to be concerned about three aspects of the proposals in particular – a cut of 10% in housing benefit after one year for those on Jobseeker’s Allowance, a £400 a week cap on housing benefit for private rented homes and allowing housing associations to charge close to the full market rent.
Torbay MP Adrian Sanders and Carshalton and Wallington MP Tom Brake have also spoken out against the plans.
Mr Brake told BBC News on Monday: “My concern is that the changes on housing benefit, particularly in London, are going to have a really hard-hitting impact on a number of families.”
In an attempt to head off a full-scale rebellion, Lib Dem housing minister Andrew Stunnell has insisted the changes will create more social housing than was ever achieved by the previous Labour government.
He said most of what had been written about the government’s plans was “inaccurate”.
He said the government would be building “more affordable housing units this year than in any year under Labour and in the plans announced in the spending review we will be adding more each year than they did altogether”.
The coalition has argued that the new higher rental income from social housing – 80% of the market rate – will encourage the private sector to invest.
Mr Clegg has argued that the housing benefit changes, which would also see single people under 35 forced to share accommodation, are fair on low paid people who go out to work but not receive help with their housing costs.
COALITION HOUSING PLANSA commitment to build an extra 150,000 social homes in this parliamentEnding the right to a council house for life with new shorter tenancies for families on waiting listsHigher social rents which could be 80% of the market rentA cap on housing benefit of around £400 a week for a house rented in the private sectorA 10% cut in housing benefit for anyone on jobseeker’s allowance for more than a yearFrom April 2012 the age threshold for the shared room rate will rise from 25 to 35
Planned increases in university tuition fees have also provoked “lively” discussions between Lib Dem backbenchers and ministers, the BBC understands, with the government expected to announce its response to Lord Browne’s report on higher education funding as early as next week.
Business Secretary Vince Cable has indicated that universities will not be allowed to charge unlimited fees, as some of them have been demanding, and that student contributions could be capped at about £7,000.
But he is believed to be coming under pressure from Lib Dem backbenchers for an even lower cap, and to increase the point at which repayments start from the £23,000 a year salary suggested by Lord Browne to £26,000.
Lib Dem sources told the BBC: “The lower the cap and the harder the cap the better.”
There are also rumblings of discontent about funding for disadvantaged school children in England, following news that the “pupil premium” would be part-funded from the education budget.
MPs are due to debate the Spending Review in the Commons on Wednesday.
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