Latest news with #MikeDailly
Glasgow Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Mike Dailly: Scrapping the two-child benefit cap makes sense
We await the policy details, but over the weekend, another U-turn emerged. The UK government is now looking at scrapping the two-child benefit cap at a cost of £3.5bn per annum as a means to reduce child poverty. It appears the reality of the disastrous English council elections and looming backbench rebellions for Labour has been a 'wake-up and smell the coffee' moment for Keir Starmer. The WFP cut was said to have saved £1.4bn, so the benefit cap U-turn would be a significant fiscal event. READ MORE: Mike Dailly: Are the sands shifting on the Winter Fuel Payment cut? We may have to await the chancellor's autumn budget in October for the details of this latest U-turn; while Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, said yesterday the WFP U-turn details may be announced as early as June 11 in the chancellor's spending review statement. Mike Dailly: Scrapping the two-child benefit cap makes sense. (Image: Sourced) The two-child benefit cap was introduced in 2017 by then-Tory Chancellor George Osborne. It prevents parents from claiming the child tax credit or universal credit for more than two children. Analysis by the End Child Poverty Coalition shows that removing the cap would lift 250,000 children across the UK out of poverty. The Child Poverty Action Group claims the economic and societal effects of child poverty, including spending on public services, cost the UK £39 billion each year. If that is so, spending to save public money makes sense. Scrapping the two-child cap is a cost-effective way to reduce child poverty. It would lift 250,000 children out of poverty and mean 850,000 children were in less deep poverty. READ MORE: Mike Dailly: Scottish housing Bill lacks substance A 2023 report by the Commons Education Select Committee found mental health problems and cost-of-living pressures on families are among the complex reasons for increased school absenteeism. Former Labour prime minister (PM) Gordon Brown made an intervention last week by urging the government to scrap the two-child benefit cap. The former PM described the policy as 'cruel' and said it treated third children as 'second-class citizens'. Mr Brown proposed raising £9 billion through a package of levies on the gambling industry, commercial banks, corporate philanthropy and changes to gift aid rules for higher rate taxpayers to fund a 'Child Fairness Guarantee'. All of this could help the Scottish government, which has pledged to mitigate the two-child benefit cap by April 2026. Last December, the Scottish government said the cost of mitigation would be around £150 million. That seems unlikely considering that the loss of Scottish Barnett consequentials – money to Holyrood – from the WFP was around £150m, from an overall £1.4bn saving. If the benefit cap U-turn has an overall cost of £3.5bn, the Scottish per capita share must be higher than £150m. Then you've the administrative and technical costs. As the Scottish government conceded in its consultation on mitigation this year: 'Mitigation of the two-child cap is not a straightforward task. It will require significant policy and technical work to develop and implement an appropriate solution. This includes co-operation from the UK Government around systems development, data sharing and legislation." U-turns on the WFP and benefit cap would help people in Scotland greatly by providing a simple technical solution for universal credit payments and additional funding to fully reinstate the Scottish WFP instead of the proposed £100 payment this winter.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeless hotel owners see a massive jump in cash from council
The owners of hotels used to house homeless people in Glasgow have seen a huge increase in income from the council. In the last year, from April 2024 to March 2025, the council paid more than £45 million to private hotels and B&B owners in the city. Demand for homeless accommodation has rocketed, and the council said it is seeking help from the UK and Scottish governments. READ NEXT:Families could be stuck on housing list for more than 100 years in Glasgow The cash paid to owners, some of who own several hotels, has rocketed by almost 70% in a year. In 2023/24 it was £26, 724,422. Last year, the total bill was £45,292,346. The year before the bill was £20,368,474, meaning the money paid to open increased by 122% in just two years. The Glasgow Times launched the End the Homeless Hotel Shame campaign to highlight the conditions people were living in. Mike Dailly, Solicitor Advocate at Govan Law Centre has called for a new approach where the public sector provides accommodation. He said: "It is lunacy and such a waste of Scottish taxpayers and Glasgow council taxpayers' money to keep throwing millions of pounds at poor quality and super expensive homeless hotels in our city. People should have dignity and taxpayers should get value for money. 'We need to build our own temporary accommodation and work with housing associations to build temporary accommodation. That would ensure high-quality temporary homes for homeless people. It really is a no-brainer. READ NEXT:Glasgow councillor removed from powerful city committee The bill could have been higher as not everyone who needs it is able to get a room in one of the 40 hotels. The data also revealed that on 3058 occasions, someone was refused emergency accommodation in the last year. The council said this is because all rooms were full. The information was requested by the Scottish Tenants Organisation. Sean Clerkin, campaign director, said: 'The housing and homeless disaster in Glasgow only worsens, ruining the lives of thousand of men, women and children, whether they be the new refugee to the city or the family that was evicted yesterday for rent arrears in Maryhill. 'The profiteers of homeless misery continue to make their tens of millions of pounds unabated, with no improvement in the basic conditions of the homeless, especially women and children and 3,058 people are still refused homeless accommodation. Those sleeping on the streets of Glasgow doubled in number from 154 to 323 in the space of weeks. He agreed with Mr Dailly on a new approach. Mr Clerkin added: Mike Dailly the top housing lawyer and columnist for the Glasgow Times has repeatedly stated correctly that tens of millions of pounds can be re-directed to Glasgow City Council to directly build good quality temporary accommodation especially safe single sex halfway accommodation for women and children and then move them rapidly on to safe and secure permanent homes. 'This cannot and must not be allowed to continue, as there has to be a housing revolution in Glasgow.' A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: 'We're duty-bound to find and provide emergency accommodation to those affected by homelessness. "We are having to spend more and more on hotels and bed & breakfast use in our attempts to meet the increasing demand for accommodation and avoid people having to sleep rough. 'Unfortunately, we are aware of a rise in the number of refusals for accommodation - this happens when there is no accommodation available. We currently use 40 hotels across the city to accommodate those whom we have a confirmed duty for. 'There is no quick alternative. We are in continual dialogue with both Governments about these challenges and continue to seek the additional resources necessary to address the challenges we are facing.'
The Herald Scotland
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow homeless hotel owners get massive jump in cash from council
Demand for homeless accommodation has rocketed, and the council said it is seeking help from the UK and Scottish governments. The cash paid to owners, some of who own several hotels, has rocketed by almost 70% in a year. In 2023/24 it was £26,724,422. Last year, the total bill was £45,292,346. The year before the bill was £20,368,474, meaning the money paid to open increased by 122% in just two years. Our sister title, The Glasgow Times, have been highlighting the conditions people live in with a campaign launched last year. Mike Dailly, Solicitor Advocate at Govan Law Centre has called for a new approach where the public sector provides accommodation. He said: "It is lunacy and such a waste of Scottish taxpayers and Glasgow council taxpayers' money to keep throwing millions of pounds at poor quality and super expensive homeless hotels in our city. People should have dignity and taxpayers should get value for money. Read More Families could be stuck on Scottish housing list for more than 100 years 'We need to build our own temporary accommodation and work with housing associations to build temporary accommodation. That would ensure high-quality temporary homes for homeless people. It really is a no-brainer. The bill could have been higher as not everyone who needs it is able to get a room in one of the 40 hotels. The data also revealed that on 3058 occasions, someone was refused emergency accommodation in the last year. The council said this is because all rooms were full. The information was requested by the Scottish Tenants Organisation. Sean Clerkin, campaign director, said: 'The housing and homeless disaster in Glasgow only worsens, ruining the lives of thousand of men, women and children, whether they be the new refugee to the city or the family that was evicted yesterday for rent arrears in Maryhill. 'The profiteers of homeless misery continue to make their tens of millions of pounds unabated, with no improvement in the basic conditions of the homeless, especially women and children and 3,058 people are still refused homeless accommodation. Those sleeping on the streets of Glasgow doubled in number from 154 to 323 in the space of weeks. He agreed with Mr Dailly on a new approach. Mr Clerkin added: Mike Dailly the top housing lawyer and columnist for the Glasgow Times has repeatedly stated correctly that tens of millions of pounds can be re-directed to Glasgow City Council to directly build good quality temporary accommodation especially safe single sex halfway accommodation for women and children and then move them rapidly on to safe and secure permanent homes. 'This cannot and must not be allowed to continue, as there has to be a housing revolution in Glasgow.' A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: 'We're duty-bound to find and provide emergency accommodation to those affected by homelessness. "We are having to spend more and more on hotels and bed & breakfast use in our attempts to meet the increasing demand for accommodation and avoid people having to sleep rough. 'Unfortunately, we are aware of a rise in the number of refusals for accommodation - this happens when there is no accommodation available. We currently use 40 hotels across the city to accommodate those whom we have a confirmed duty for. 'There is no quick alternative. We are in continual dialogue with both Governments about these challenges and continue to seek the additional resources necessary to address the challenges we are facing.'
Glasgow Times
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow homeless hotel owners get massive jump in cash from council
In the last year, from April 2024 to March 2025, the council paid more than £45 million to private hotels and B&B owners in the city. Demand for homeless accommodation has rocketed, and the council said it is seeking help from the UK and Scottish governments. READ NEXT:Families could be stuck on housing list for more than 100 years in Glasgow The cash paid to owners, some of who own several hotels, has rocketed by almost 70% in a year. In 2023/24 it was £26, 724,422. Last year, the total bill was £45,292,346. The year before the bill was £20,368,474, meaning the money paid to open increased by 122% in just two years. The Glasgow Times launched the End the Homeless Hotel Shame campaign to highlight the conditions people were living in. Mike Dailly, Solicitor Advocate at Govan Law Centre has called for a new approach where the public sector provides accommodation. He said: "It is lunacy and such a waste of Scottish taxpayers and Glasgow council taxpayers' money to keep throwing millions of pounds at poor quality and super expensive homeless hotels in our city. People should have dignity and taxpayers should get value for money. 'We need to build our own temporary accommodation and work with housing associations to build temporary accommodation. That would ensure high-quality temporary homes for homeless people. It really is a no-brainer. READ NEXT:Glasgow councillor removed from powerful city committee The bill could have been higher as not everyone who needs it is able to get a room in one of the 40 hotels. The data also revealed that on 3058 occasions, someone was refused emergency accommodation in the last year. The council said this is because all rooms were full. The information was requested by the Scottish Tenants Organisation. Sean Clerkin, campaign director, said: 'The housing and homeless disaster in Glasgow only worsens, ruining the lives of thousand of men, women and children, whether they be the new refugee to the city or the family that was evicted yesterday for rent arrears in Maryhill. 'The profiteers of homeless misery continue to make their tens of millions of pounds unabated, with no improvement in the basic conditions of the homeless, especially women and children and 3,058 people are still refused homeless accommodation. Those sleeping on the streets of Glasgow doubled in number from 154 to 323 in the space of weeks. He agreed with Mr Dailly on a new approach. Mr Clerkin added: Mike Dailly the top housing lawyer and columnist for the Glasgow Times has repeatedly stated correctly that tens of millions of pounds can be re-directed to Glasgow City Council to directly build good quality temporary accommodation especially safe single sex halfway accommodation for women and children and then move them rapidly on to safe and secure permanent homes. 'This cannot and must not be allowed to continue, as there has to be a housing revolution in Glasgow.' A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: 'We're duty-bound to find and provide emergency accommodation to those affected by homelessness. "We are having to spend more and more on hotels and bed & breakfast use in our attempts to meet the increasing demand for accommodation and avoid people having to sleep rough. 'Unfortunately, we are aware of a rise in the number of refusals for accommodation - this happens when there is no accommodation available. We currently use 40 hotels across the city to accommodate those whom we have a confirmed duty for. 'There is no quick alternative. We are in continual dialogue with both Governments about these challenges and continue to seek the additional resources necessary to address the challenges we are facing.'
