Localism Bill

That would be a shocking spectacle and I cannot imagine that any person in this House would find it acceptable. We must consider the consequences of our actions. Private sector accommodation is, for most families, completely unaffordable. Most families who approach local authorities as homeless are young families at the start of their family life and with the lowest earning potential that they are likely to have in their lifetime. They will have to go on to housing benefit, so we will make families who could otherwise afford to pay their way welfare-dependent. We are saying to families, ““You will be on housing benefit and if you try to better your life—if you take the extra day's work or the promotion—you will lose so much housing benefit that it will not be worth your while.””