MYTHS ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY 9: “THE STATE PAYS FOR WORKLESS PEOPLE TO LIVE IN MANSIONS”

The truth is that only a small number of households were receiving support through Housing Benefit worth £50,000 or more a year before a cap came in on the amount of support a household can receive through Housing Benefit (£20,800 a year).

In March 2012 just 110 households in receipt of Housing Benefit received over £50,000 a year (out of 5,014,650 recipients)

According to the latest DWP figures, the average Housing Benefit award is £4651.92 a year.

In fact, only 0.037% of Housing Benefit claimants are receiving more than £30,000 per annum and most of those are receiving between £30,000 and £40,000.

Surprisingly a third of children in poverty live in owner-occupier families with around a third in social housing and a third in privately rented housing.