Government face legal challenge over housing benefit uprating

Zacchaeus 2000 be taking a legal challenge against the housing benefit uprating to the High Court tomorrow, Wednesday 19 December.

In their case, they argue that the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement has further compounded the problem with the housing subsidy assessment regime, brought in by the coalition government on 2 April 2012, which they believe could result in more than 80,000 people being forced to leave their homes and establish new lives outside London. The new regime introduced by the Autumn statement will displace many more.

They are taking action against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) arguing that the current process by which local housing allowance (LHA) is calculated is unlawful and undemocratic. Law firm Leigh Day will argue that the new mechanism to calculate LHA, brought in on 2 April 2012, is unlawful as it is ultra vires (outside of the power of the DWP) and it is in breach of the Equality Act 2012.

For their full statement on the legal action, see Z2K challenge Housing Benefit Cap in the High Court as 80,000 people may be forced to relocate