Camden residents told to move to Birmingham by Tory chief, as housing benefit cap comes in

Camden New Journal reports that Camden Council is looking at placing families hit by benefit cuts in cities as far away as Birmingham and Leicester. Officials could be asked to start researching areas with similar communities to neighbourhoods in Camden and good rail links back to London.

The idea was welcomed by Camden’s Conservative leader, who is reported to have said: “London’s not everything.” The move is seen by Labour as a last-ditch attempt to avoid homelessness among families who simply can’t afford to live in the borough with their benefit capped and the lack of opportunities in Camden’s astronomical ­private rental market.

At least 750 families could be affected in Camden. The idea of housing people outside London for the first time has been discussed at internal Labour meetings and will be debated by cabinet councillors before being approved. One leading Labour councillor said: “Nobody wants to do this, but what can we do? What can we do?” There has been no formal approach to any council in any other area but sources at the council told the New Journal that cities close to train routes into Euston and King’s Cross are at the top of the list and include Birmingham and Leicester.

For the whole story, see Poor told to move to Birmingham: Tory chief says ‘London’s not everything’ as housing benefit cap strugglers face placements away from London

And there’s more -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/13/london-council-relocation-benefits-cap

‘The benefit cap has been dogged by fears of the chaos that might ensue from such a momentous change to welfare policy. Last December ministers conceded that there would be no national roll-out and that changes would only apply to four councils — Haringey, Croydon, Enfield and Bromley – from 1 April and not to everywhere at the same time as widely expected. However last night sources said that because of the fear of a legal challenge, the coalition’s welfare minister Lord Freud was planning to bring forward the date at which the rest of country implement the policy.’