Help with Housing Costs

Abstract

This chapter provides an introduction to the Housing Benefit system (HB). Housing Benefit is extremely important for Britain’s housing finance system, as it is the main person-oriented housing subsidy in the social and private rented sectors. The chapter

• discusses the development of the system and the way it operates;

• looks at the coherence, effectiveness and fairness of HB;

• examines ways in which the system’s faults might be remedied;

• assesses the 1996 reforms to HB and income support for mortgage interest.