CHANGES to housing benefits are harming the most vulnerable tenants and slashing the availability of affordable accommodation, insists Crewe and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson.

Some 2,859 people in Crewe and Nantwich are on local housing waiting lists, with a sizeable proportion of them on housing benefit.

Housing waiting lists have risen by 345% in Crewe and Nantwich under the Labour Government – reflecting the shortage of affordable accommodation.

Last year ministers introduced a new ‘Local Housing Allowance’, with housing benefit being direct to the tenant rather than to the landlord.

But Mr Timpson said that vulnerable tenants often struggle to manage their finances and spend their rent money on other things.

Homeless charity Crisis has warned that this can result in rent arrears and eventually homelessness.

An angry Mr Timpson said: “It is a brutal demonstration that the new housing benefit rules are failing the most vulnerable in our society.

“Landlords are put off from renting to those on benefit, slashing the availability of decent places to live.

"Some tenants struggle to manage their finances, using up their benefit money by rent day.

“Tenants should have greater choice, and be free to specify that their housing benefit should go direct to the landlord.

"This will help those most in need.”