Blogs Reports

Private Rental – Making it Harder for the Most Vulnerable


Reported by Laura

Published on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2022

Accommodation Welfare Benefits
Blogs Reports

Private Rental – Making it Harder for the Most Vulnerable


Written by Laura

Published on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2022

Accommodation

Welfare Benefits

As someone who is in private rental in Greater Manchester, just like places across the UK such has in London, Leeds, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other places who charge high rates on rents. The basic rent for a one bed flat is between £650 – £1,300 in some cases.

If we look at the main area of what estate agents and other private rental owners do, is to look at the local rental amounts, at the time of increasing the rent, such has myself every January (two months before my new agreement is to start for 12 months.)

If they start giving rates at a level when rents are high, this will mean that some rents could be going from £550 to almost £750, I know that there are laws there to protect that kind of increment in rent, even if the government does start forcing private rental to start doing that, this will mean that local councils need to step in and ensure that local allowances can cover this amount rent.

Can we truly say that someone on benefits who may be only getting £365 per month (UC) can afford to pay for the council tax, rent top up plus other things? I personally don’t, I have placed an idea of what it’s like living in one bed flat, on the amount of Universal credits.

 

Income: Based on Salford Council (Private rental one bed flat £650 Rental current on 23/06/2022)

– Universal Credit: £365

– Rent: £598

Total: £963

Outgoings

– Council tax: £88 (After Reduction)

– Electric: £80 – £120 (based on the prices right now)

– Rent: £650 (£52 Top Up)

– Travel: £80 Per month (bus only monthly pass – Going up in price to £90)

– Food Shopping: £35

– Phone / Internet: £30

Total: £963 – £1013 PCM

 

If anyone can please say that if the private rental needs to give 6 month notice of rent going up, with an issue of high rental prices at that time, how can someone on benefits pay for that extra rent, this is going to make our low paid members of our local areas worse off, like my rent is right now £550, if my local rents go higher I do however believe that my rent will personally go up and over the amount that can be offered to cover most of my rent, my rent could increase to over £650.

Written by Laura


Hi my name is Laura, I am a tour guide based in Manchester, educating people around issues people are facing with homelessness. I started this reporting to report on issues facing people who I know and meet, to say what is on their minds and for people to understand what's happening with others.

Read all of Laura's articles

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Accommodation Welfare Benefits

One thought on “Private Rental – Making it Harder for the Most Vulnerable

  1. Aw, this was an extremely nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to produce a great article… but what can I say… I procrastinate a lot and never manage to get anything done.

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