'Want a house, get a job' proposal slammed

11.37.00am GMT Thu 7th Feb 2008

Cllr Sally Beardsworth called Labour's plans for 'commitment contracts' ludicrous

Northampton Borough Councillor Sally Beardsworth, cabinet member for Housing, has criticised proposals by the Labour government to introduce 'commitment contracts' which could lead to an increase in homelessness.

Labour's Housing minister Caroline Flint said the proposal, announced this week, was designed to tackle the culture of 'no-one works round here', but was given short shrift by charities including Crisis and Shelter, who labelled it a retrograde step which would take Britain back to the Victorian era.

Cllr Sally Beardsworth, cabinet member for Housing, said:

"Of course it is desirable to support people back into work, and there is undoubtedly a link between the deprivation prevalent amongst those living in social housing and unemployment. I want to see as many people as possible able to realise aspirations to work. That simply isn't possible for many people in Britain today, where under Labour the benefits and taxation system has made it simply too expensive for some people to go back to work.

"The answer, however, is not to threaten people with losing their homes and undermine all their security. What we really need to do is tackle the problem at the root, by ensuring all children get a decent education which will enable them to find work that allows them to lead fulfilling lives.

"Compelling local authorities to take up this proposal would most likely create more homelessness which is totally ludicrous given that they have a statutory duty to house homeless families. It would simply create a revolving door and more instability, rather than helping people to work."