Residents say Lambeth Council encouraged them to use their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to cover the extra costs of heating bills.
PIP helps for extra costs for people living with long-term physical or mental disabilities who have difficult doing certain everyday tasks. The amount does not change depending on income.
Andrew Cordell, a resident of Wedgwood House on Lambeth Walk, he says the council told him to use his PIP to pay his heating bills.
“Their exact words were you’re gonna have to use your PIP to pay charges.
“Heating isn’t something that it should really be used for. But at the moment we have no choice, and I know I’m not the only person in this situation.”
Ruth London, Director of Fuel Poverty Action, says it should go towards extra costs that “other people don’t have to think of.”
Eviction notices sent to residents
John Beechey, a resident at Macintosh Court in Streatham, has received a repossession notice after refusing to pay his heating bills.
“I can’t pay it, so I’m not gonna tell them that I can, I’m not gonna lie to them.”
Lambeth Council’s response
A Lambeth Council spokesperson told City News:
“We know that the rises last year came at a particularly tough time for all our residents, and we provided an extra half a million pounds in funding for our most vulnerable tenants, who were already suffering the most from the cost of living crisis.
“We have a responsibility to recover rent and service charges, in line with the tenancy agreements. This means we have to enact the arrears recovery process where tenants are not paying off their rent or not making any payments towards their arrears. But we also make clear that possession proceedings will only ever be used as a last resort, where other interventions and support have proved unsuccessful.
“We understand that clearing arrears immediately or over a short period can be challenging, so we have been working with residents to create extended payment plans that align with their affordability and can be paid over a more extended period.
“Our aim is to work with them to establish a sensible payment arrangement that aligns with their affordability and can be paid over a more extended period. We also have many support & advice partners and our own in-house tenancy support team to help residents where possible through this challenging period.”
Lambeth Council did not respond to City News’ questions about PIP payments.
HeadlineResidents say council encouraged them to use disability benefits to pay heating bills
Short Headline350% increase in heating bills
StandfirstResidents living in social housing in Lambeth are worried the council will evict them for rent arrears after a 350% increase in heating bills.
Residents say Lambeth Council encouraged them to use their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to cover the extra costs of heating bills.
PIP helps for extra costs for people living with long-term physical or mental disabilities who have difficult doing certain everyday tasks. The amount does not change depending on income.
Andrew Cordell, a resident of Wedgwood House on Lambeth Walk, he says the council told him to use his PIP to pay his heating bills.
“Their exact words were you’re gonna have to use your PIP to pay charges.
“Heating isn’t something that it should really be used for. But at the moment we have no choice, and I know I’m not the only person in this situation.”
Ruth London, Director of Fuel Poverty Action, says it should go towards extra costs that “other people don’t have to think of.”
Eviction notices sent to residents
John Beechey, a resident at Macintosh Court in Streatham, has received a repossession notice after refusing to pay his heating bills.
“I can’t pay it, so I’m not gonna tell them that I can, I’m not gonna lie to them.”
Lambeth Council’s response
A Lambeth Council spokesperson told City News:
“We know that the rises last year came at a particularly tough time for all our residents, and we provided an extra half a million pounds in funding for our most vulnerable tenants, who were already suffering the most from the cost of living crisis.
“We have a responsibility to recover rent and service charges, in line with the tenancy agreements. This means we have to enact the arrears recovery process where tenants are not paying off their rent or not making any payments towards their arrears. But we also make clear that possession proceedings will only ever be used as a last resort, where other interventions and support have proved unsuccessful.
“We understand that clearing arrears immediately or over a short period can be challenging, so we have been working with residents to create extended payment plans that align with their affordability and can be paid over a more extended period.
“Our aim is to work with them to establish a sensible payment arrangement that aligns with their affordability and can be paid over a more extended period. We also have many support & advice partners and our own in-house tenancy support team to help residents where possible through this challenging period.”
Lambeth Council did not respond to City News’ questions about PIP payments.
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