Tenants participating in a trial of the government's controversial benefit cap are being sent eviction letters because the welfare changes mean they "may not be able to afford the rent" and they may have to leave their homes within 14 days, according to documents obtained by the Guardian.
In the first tangible proof that the cap would lead to rising levels of homelessness, one of Britain's biggest social landlords, Genesis, has issued a warning to tenants in Haringey a London borough chosen by ministers to test plans to limit benefit payments to £26,000 a year saying that it will now need to start legal proceedings to "terminate our lease".
The letter from Genesis says it has been forced into taking these steps because of the "significant changes being currently introduced to the welfare benefit system". The letter warns that, if the tenants do not offer a defence, a court can force eviction within 14 days.
The overall benefit cap set at £500 per week, or £350 for single people, was introduced in four London local authorities Enfield, Bromley, Croydon and Haringey in mid-April, and will be rolled out nationally later in the year. The Department for Work and Pensions has estimated that 56,000 households will be hit, with an average weekly loss of £93. The majority will be families with children.
