Big variation in way benefit cuts will hit

THE Press can reveal today which parts of York will be worst hit by housing benefit and council tax benefit cuts – and it’s a tale of two cities.

A ward-by-ward analysis by City of York Council officers has shown there are districts where many hundreds of residents will be as much as £1,500 out of pocket, but others where as few as 21 will be affected.

The Press reported yesterday how just over 6,000 existing benefit recipients across the city will be out of pocket following a raft of cuts aimed at reducing the nation's benefits bill by more than £2 billion, with more than 500 residents set to lose in excess of £1,000 a year.

Now a geographical analysis has shown that the ward with the most people losing out is Westfield, where 982 people, or 16.2 per cent of the total number of claimants losing benefits in York, are affected.

Another 627 will be out of pocket in Clifton, 507 in Holgate and 643 people in Heworth.

In contrast, neighbouring Heworth Without has only 33 people affected, and only 21 people will lose out in Heslington and 39 in Fulford.

Council leader James Alexander said there was a real disparity across certain parts of the city.

“That is why we are focusing on areas such as employment and skills and family support, and why we are working to develop a financial inclusion strategy,” he said.

“Some people access benefits through necessity, while others can move beyond the need to claim with the right interventions and proper support.

“With that support, people can aspire to achieve and that benefits the whole city, socially and economically.”