Housing Benefit and Income Redistribution

Gibbs, Ian; Kemp, Peter A.

doi:10.1080/00420989320080041

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…It is not unreasonable to hypothesise that means-tested housing allowances might be more prevalent in liberal welfare regimes (see Hulse, 2003) and that they might be more focused on low-income households. Indeed, previous research on the distributional impact of housing allowances in Britain (a liberal welfare regime) concluded that it was "pro-poor" (Gibbs & Kemp, 1993;Stephens, 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Housing Allowances as Income Support: Comparing European Welfare Regimes

Griggs¹,

Kemp

2012

International Journal of Housing Policy

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Most studies of housing allowances focus on their role in housing policy. In contrast, this paper examines housing allowances from an income support perspective. It utilises a modified version of Esping-Andersen's welfare regime typology to examine the income support role of means-tested housing allowances in the EU-15. Using secondary analysis of the 2007 EU-SILC dataset, it examines the prevalence, generosity, degree of targeting and impact on disposable incomes of housing allowances. It demonstrates that they vary both within and between welfare regimes. It also shows that housing allowances are not simply a liberal policy instrument, but are employed extensively within social democratic and conservative welfare regimes; and that they are not only focused on the poorest households. Hence, income-related, housing allowances do not fit the stereotype of means-tested benefits portrayed by EspingAndersen (1990). Finally, the paper shows that housing allowances have a significant impact upon disposable incomes (after housing costs) and as such have an important income support function.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Housing Allowances as Income Support: Comparing European Welfare Regimes

Griggs¹,

Kemp

2012

International Journal of Housing Policy

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“…The cost has been quite stable for the last few years, reflecting improved economic trends, as well as cost control measures in both social and market sectors (primarily of actual rents in the former and eligible rents in the latter). The evidence suggests that in terms of income distribution, HB is well targeted (Gibbs & Kemp, 1993), despite the large proportions of social sector tenants who receive it.…”

Section: Conclusion: Overall Assessment and The Future Of Housing Bementioning

confidence: 98%

An Assessment of the British Housing Benefit System

Stephens

2005

European Journal of Housing Policy

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The British Housing Benefit system has become one of the central pillars of housing policy as well as a major element in the social security system. Housing Benefit has enabled government to switch housing subsidies away from 'bricks and mortar' subsidies and it has become the main housing subsidy. It has also underpinned other policies that have transformed the housing system, including the homelessness legislation, the liberalisation of the private rented sector, private finance for housing associations and the transfer of local authority housing to housing associations. Over time its objectives have narrowed with much more emphasis being placed on its income maintenance objective and rather less on a wider affordability objective. Nevertheless, it performs both objectives reasonably well in the social rented sector, but is increasingly failing in the private rented sector where restrictions aimed at controlling costs have become much more onerous. It is often suggested that design of Housing Benefit seems likely to lead to work disincentives and over-consumption of housing, but the evidence is weak. While the system is difficult to administer, it is cheap to administer (compared to many other benefits). Current policy development is aimed at extending choice by creating incentives for claimants to consume housing more efficiently, as well as removing some of the administrative deterrents to moving into work. Longer term it seems likely that the system will need to adapt to the growth of tax credits with which it is not well aligned.Housing allowance, Housing Benefit, local housing allowance, Great Britain,

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“…Indeed, 80 per cent of Housing Benefit expenditure goes to tenants in the bottom three income deciles (Gibbs & Kemp, 1993). While international comparisons are never straight forward, the British housing allowance scheme appears to go less far up the income scale than in countries such as France, the Netherlands and Sweden.…”

Section: Peculiarities Of the Britishmentioning

confidence: 99%

Housing allowances and the fiscal crisis of the welfare state

Kemp

1994

Housing Studies

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A rapidly growing public sector borrowing requirement, caused by the longest recession since the second world war, has promted the British Government to carry out a 'fundamental review' of state spending programmes. One of the areas on which much attention has been focused is the housing allowance scheme, the cost of which has increased substantially. This article examines the review of housing allowances that is being undertaken as part of the wider review of welfare spending. Some of the key differences between housing allowances in Britain and those in other countries are also discussed. Some of these differences are likely to be removed as a result of the review, thus making the British scheme more like those elsewhere.

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Housing Benefit and Income Redistribution

Cited by 11 publications

References 7 publications

Housing Allowances as Income Support: Comparing European Welfare Regimes

Housing Allowances as Income Support: Comparing European Welfare Regimes

An Assessment of the British Housing Benefit System

Housing allowances and the fiscal crisis of the welfare state

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