Council tenants who do not work should seek employment or face losing their homes, the new housing minister Caroline Flint has proposed.
Council tenants who do not work should seek employment or face losing their homes, the new housing minister Caroline Flint has proposed.
In an interview with The Guardian, Ms Flint suggested new applicants for social housing should be given "committment contracts".
In an interview with The Guardian, Ms Flint suggested new applicants for social housing should be given "committment contracts".
The scheme would not be aimed at genuine incapacity benefit claimants.
The scheme would not be aimed at genuine incapacity benefit claimants.
Half of all households paid for by benefits are without work, the Hills report published last February showed.
Half of all households paid for by benefits are without work, the Hills report published last February showed.
'Culture change'
'Culture change'
Ms Flint will discuss the issue in a speech at the Fabian Society on Tuesday, through which it is thought she hopes to start a debate on a "something for something" culture.
Ms Flint will discuss the issue in a speech at the Fabian Society on Tuesday, through which it is thought she hopes to start a debate on a "something for something" culture.
She told the Guardian: "It would be a big change of culture from the time when the council handed someone the keys and forgot about them for 30 years.
She told the Guardian: "It would be a big change of culture from the time when the council handed someone the keys and forgot about them for 30 years.
"The question we should ask of new tenants is what commitment they will make to improve their skills, find work and take the support that is available."
"The question we should ask of new tenants is what commitment they will make to improve their skills, find work and take the support that is available."
It is understood that Ms Flint, who has just moved to housing from the Department of Work and Pensions, is keen to look at the link between housing and economic inactivity.
It is understood that Ms Flint, who has just moved to housing from the Department of Work and Pensions, is keen to look at the link between housing and economic inactivity.
Living in an area where there is a concentration of unemployment can be a deterrent to finding work, she said.
Living in an area where there is a concentration of unemployment can be a deterrent to finding work, she said.
'Peer pressure'
'Peer pressure'
"If you are in a family, an estate or a neighbourhood where nobody works, that impacts on your own aspiration. It is a form of peer pressure."
"If you are in a family, an estate or a neighbourhood where nobody works, that impacts on your own aspiration. It is a form of peer pressure."
The new contracts would apply to new council tenants at first, but could be extended to existing tenants.
The new contracts would apply to new council tenants at first, but could be extended to existing tenants.
More job centres could be opened on the estates themselves to tackle pockets of joblessness.
More job centres could be opened on the estates themselves to tackle pockets of joblessness.
Ms Flint also said tenants who moved to take a job would be given priority in finding a new home.
Ms Flint also said tenants who moved to take a job would be given priority in finding a new home.
The speech will be the first made by Ms Flint in her new post.
The speech will be the first made by Ms Flint in her new post.
Should unemployed council tenants have to find a job or risk losing their homes? Do you live in a council house? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments using the form below:
Should unemployed council tenants have to find a job or risk losing their homes? Do you live in a council house? Are you affected by the issues in this story? Send us your comments using the form below:
I think Labour wants to start remembering that a goodly proportion of their voters live in council houses, now I am not in favour of people that are really idle and do not want to work, but something else should be done, not threaten them with losing their home. And there are loads and loads of people genuinely cannot get jobs for whatever reason, also single mothers who need to be there for their children - believe it or not, employers do not always take this into consideration when employing people for positions. I personally have a daughter with MS, she can neither get any help nor get a council house, and works fulltime and pays a high proportion of her salary in rent. Get real Labour, you're not doing that well in the polls anyway, do you want to lose further voters, or are you planning to woo them from the Tories? Marina, Hemel Hempstead
One more minister seeking to make a name and act tough. Of course there is a link between joblessness and social housing, just as there is a link between low wages and social housing. This has been mapped time and time again and is nothing new, ask any local housing authority. And just where does the minister suggest all those tenants, who may include families, are going to be housed. And who is going to pick up the bill after they are made homeless as a result of this stupid suggestion. Just more headline grabbing.T Freeman, Brighton
Sounds very harsh. I agree to the bit where there is a culture of unemployment its fashionable not to have a job. But people are being stupefied by years of having nothing to do, especially if they live in estates, where there are no employers locally to give them work, this would force them to move to find work. I think the emphasis should be with the employers available. In my area they knocked down 2 industrial estates to make way for housing. At the same time they want people to find employment, it doesn't make sense.I have a incapacity benefit getting daughter but she was diagnosed with an extremely low IQ and a mental age of 9 years old. Its just they have now gotten rid of the 9 years old because the law can't cope with that, because if that specification would still exist, they would have to employ a nine year old and that is against employment legislation. They tried to force her into an seeking employment scheme, but would you employ a nine year old, especially as nine year olds with the sexuality of a 26 year old have extreme problems also because they have no intellect. I would not think that my daughter is safe to employ, even though she looks pretty and very normal.Johanna Kaschke, London
If council tenants can work ,they should work.If they risk losing there council house?will the private sector take them on and the DSS pick up the bill? The best thing to do is take away there luxuries i.e car,dogs,satalite or reduce their benefits if they can afford luxuries then they get too much. david, edinburgh scotland
Another social engineering policy designed to make serfs of us all. The government want bound slaves just look what they're doing to students.I truly despise everything about this government and I voted for them first time round. Betrayed!Paul Carey, England
I dont think tennants should have to find work just to keep there house,thats disgusting,there are more people than jobs available,and why should people have to find a job they hate just to keep there house its not right,and besides the wages in this country are appaling,i own my own house,but the pressure of worrying to keep my job and not lose it is horrendous because if i cant pay then i lose mine,where would i go if i lost it.D.Hooper, West Bromwich
I believe this sounds like a good idea. There are (in my opinion) far too many people sitting about claiming benefits with no intention of getting a job. These same people in many cases can be better off than the rest of us due to the way the benefit schemes work.It's only fair that if they can work they do and in turn are contributing back to the economy and their local community.Ross Walker, Edinburgh
Why doesn't the government just get rid of all social housing and put people in concentration camps instead. A much better idea.Victoria Evans, Bristol, UK
This is an amazing proposal - What do we do if the tenents don't seek work, make them homeless, this will drive up crime, is against the social state, and an insult. What kind of tyrant would even think this. The labour government are getting worse by the day. Russell Wilde, Birmingham
What a remarkable initiative to increase our homeless population! An aptly named lady indeed, Ms. Flint. Thank God the DWP doesn't have to put up with her any more.,
Few years ago my dad was attending a medical for incapacity benefit, another guy had a heart atack and could not go through the medical.
As he was there for a medical to assess his knees he was signed off the sick. Are we to believe that this system will not cause more trouble than its worth? This guy would have been in hospital and the system would already be looking at why he was not looking for work. This is, as usual, a politician trying to use what they think will gain them votes at the expence of the people. Stupid idea, especialy if the local councils ahve to admin it.David, Durham Uk
