“Welfare reforms are hitting the poorest and the most vulnerable in our communities” says Hackney Green Spokesperson, as the rise in total evictions in Hackney over the last year are a direct result of the rise in those due to arrears.
Frampton Park Estate, Hackney, photograph courtesy of Dr Neil Clifton.
98 people were evicted due to arrears between April 2013 and April 2014 compared to 61 the year before, according to information obtained by the Green Party using the Freedom of Information Act (see table below). Total evictions in Hackney were 108 in 2013/14 compared to 72 in 2012/13 – suggesting the rise in total evictions was as a direct result of the rise in evictions due to arrears from the Government’s welfare reforms.
Hackney Green Party spokesperson, Charlotte George, said:
“These welfare reforms are hitting the poorest and the most vulnerable in our communities. How the Government can say that they are “fair” and “helping” people is beyond me. We are further increasing the gap between the wealthy and the rest by ghettoising and victimising people who need help paying the ridiculous rents in Hackney.”
Welfare reforms such as the Bedroom Tax and the Benefit Cap were introduced by the Coalition Government in April 2013. As a result of this, rising prices, and low ways, many council tenants are struggling to meet their bills and are falling to debt and arrears (Joseph Rowntree Foundation).
Charlotte George added:
“The Green Party is totally against these reforms and other austerity measures, which target people who are already hard done by. We will fight for a Citizen’s Wage, to ensure no-one in this country is in poverty, paid for by a Robin Hood Tax and land value tax, targeting the rich. We need to build more social housing and reclaim empty homes to help with the housing crisis, and rent controls should be introduced across London. Only then will we see our society mending the schism between the haves and have nots.”
| 2012/13 | Evicted (Arrears) | Evicted (ASB) | Evicted (Other Reasons) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | |||
| 21 | 1 | 1 | 23 | |
| 6 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 13 | 3 | 16 | ||
| 7 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 10 | 1 | 11 | ||
| 4 | 4 | |||
| Total | 61 | 2 | 9 | 72 |
| 2013/14 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 24 | 24 | |||
| 13 | 1 | 1 | 15 | |
| 24 | 3 | 27 | ||
| 7 | 2 | 1 | 10 | |
| Total | 98 | 4 | 6 | 108 |
For more information, please contact Charlotte George: charlotte.george@greenparty.org.uk