Darren Johnson has warned that further cuts to welfare for young Londoners could exacerbate rising homelessness and harm the economy.
Maps published last year by Darren Johnson show that
shared rooms in even the cheapest flats may be out of
young Londeners’ reach.
Last year 624 people aged between 18-25 slept rough in London, but if young people were unable to access housing benefit that figure could rise substantially, frustrating the Mayor’s aim of ending rough sleeping. Pricing young people out of low paid jobs in the capital could also harm the economy. Maps published by Darren in the summer show that young people on the minimum wage can’t even afford cheaper rooms in shared flats; a room in the lower quartile private rented flat is unaffordable in every borough in London.
Darren commented, “The Mayor needs to secure a massive boost to his housing budget to build more affordable housing, and smart regulations to help private tenants. We should cut rents, not benefits, and make London a place where work really can pay the bills.”