LANDLORDS RESPOND TO RISING COST OF HOUSING BENEFIT

 

Responding to the findings from the National Housing Federation* (NHF) about the cost of housing benefit in the UK, Richard Lambert, Chief Executive Officer at the National Landlords Association (NLA), said:

“Housing benefit is not a subsidy to landlords; it’s a support for tenants to ensure they can pay for their housing.  However, the proportion of landlords who let to tenants in receipt of housing benefit has halved over the last five years as benefit levels have not kept up with rents.

“The NHF is clearly still reeling from the news that its members have been ordered by government to reduce spending over the next four years, so it comes as no  surprise that they are looking to shift the emphasis and point the finger elsewhere.

“The private rented sector has grown as the market responds to the increasing demand for homes, particularly from a growing proportion of tenants whom the social sector and housing associations simply are not able to support in the current circumstances.

“The private rented sector plays a significant role in providing much-needed homes for tenants so there seems no real benefit in the NHF taking a cheap shot at landlords.  What we should all be talking about is the failure of successive governments to adequately allocate its housing budget and to incentivise the building of new homes.  In the long term, that would be the best use of taxpayers’ money”.

For further information, please contact:

Alex Brent
PR Executive, NLA
020 7820 7904
alex.brent@landlords.org.uk

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Overseas Property

Why 2026 is the Best Year to Invest in Dominican Republic Land

If you’re eyeing Caribbean real estate, 2026 offers an exceptional window to invest in Dominican Republic land. The country has emerged as the fastest-growing Caribbean economy, creating ideal conditions for land investors. Tax incentives, infrastructure projects, and rising international interest are converging at just the right moment. Whether you’re searching for beach land for sale…
Read More
Breaking News

Property expert on how to bag the BEST mortgage deal in today’s market

Finding a good mortgage deal in today’s market demands more than just comparing rates. While the average 2-year and 5-year fixed mortgage rates have gone down this year, they’re still higher than rates pre-pandemic. This means those in their current homes will have to pay more than they once were each month, and new buyers…
Read More
Breaking News

Halloween Named the UK’s Most Popular Moving Day of 2025

Halloween was the most popular day to move house in 2025, breaking the long-standing trend of summer being the busiest time for home moves. We analysed the data and spoke to industry experts to understand why the peak moving day has shifted and why it fell on an international holiday.  Compare My Move reviewed more than 170,000 house moves made in 2025 and…
Read More
for sale sign london
Breaking News

Industry Response to Halifax House Price Index

Industry response to the Halifax House Price Index December 2025 The latest index shows that: – On a monthly basis, house prices fell by 0.6% between November and December of last year. Annually, house prices were up 0.3% versus this time last year, although this annual rate of growth had slowed from 0.7% the previous…
Read More
Breaking News

Halifax House Price Index December 2025

House prices in December 2025 were 0.3% higher compared to the same month a year earlier. UK house prices dipped in December • House prices dipped by -0.6% in December, following a -0.1% fall in November • Average property price is now £297,755, the lowest since June • Annual growth slowed to +0.3%, down from…
Read More
Breaking News

Homebuyer demand returns following Autumn Budget

New research from Property DriveBuy reveals that Bristol, Tyne & Wear, and South Yorkshire emerged as the UK’s most in-demand areas of the housing market following the Autumn Budget, with as many as 61% of homes listed for sale successfully securing a buyer in Q4 2025. Property Drivebuy analysed residential listings data across the nation…
Read More