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Young People, Housing Benefit and the Risk Society
Author(s) -
Kemp Peter A.,
Rugg Julie
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
social policy and administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.972
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1467-9515
pISSN - 0144-5596
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9515.00261
Subject(s) - entitlement (fair division) , rental housing , renting , accommodation , business , public housing , labour economics , economics , public economics , economic growth , political science , psychology , law , mathematical economics , neuroscience
This paper draws on debates about the risk society to examine the impact of the “single room rent”, a restriction in the housing benefit scheme that applies to single people under 25 living in privately rented housing. Drawing on qualitative interviews in six localities in England, the paper examines young people’s ability to gain access to and afford privately rented accommodation while receiving housing benefit. It argues that the single room rent restriction has not only cut their housing benefit entitlement but also created more uncertainty for young people. Consequently, it has enhanced rather than ameliorated the risks faced by young people on low incomes in the private rental housing market.