Home owners with empty houses to face benefit cuts

400 home owners and landlords with empty houses in Bury will be getting a nasty surprise this week as a letter arrives from the council telling them their entitlements have been cut.

Despite the council’s best effort to let claimants know that changes were coming, and have a say in a public consultation, feedback from local residents has been low.

This is the second set of bad news for benefit claimants this month which have come about because of the national welfare reform.

Councillor Tony Isherwood said Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources said;”We will do everything we can to help home owners and landlords bring their houses back into occupation so that they don’t feel the pinch for very long. Some of these houses have been empty for a very long time and are in a dreadful state so it will be nice to get them habitable again but there are those property owners, such as those who have inherited homes in a poor condition, who lack funds to tackle them who will also feel the brunt of these changes”.

ENDS

Press release issued:

For further information please contact Peter Doherty on 0161 253 6096 Alternatively please email communications@bury.gov.uk