Edinburgh Anarchists

Well that didn’t take long did it? New Chief Secretary to the Treasury has resigned after it was found out that his landlord was his boyfriend, pocketing him £40,000 over 5 years. And of course, he’s a millionaire ex-banker, the boyfriend a political lobbyist.

Showing that the Political Class looks after its own, Laws is described as “an honourable man” who’ll be back in the government as soon as possible.

Put aside the sexuality issue. If you’re on Housing Benefit and in a relationship with your landlord, then you don’t get HB. A millionaire ex-banker in charge of cutting the public sector doesn’t know this, or is it one Laws for him and one for the rest of us?

In fact, someone else has already made this point:

Meanwhile on Friday a Norfolk mother, Sarah Riley, was imprisoned for falsely claiming £10,000 in housing benefit over a period of 7 years after neglecting to inform the authorities that she had started a relationship.

Recently, ECAP held a training session on welfare rights and the notes related to that are now available online.

They cover the following topics:

1. Community Care Grants and the Social Fund
2. Debt (also Electricity and Gas Guide)
3. Disability Living Allowance
4. Employment and Support Allowance (formerly Incapacity Benefit)
5. Local Housing Allowance and Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
6. Job Seekers Allowance
7. Carers Allowance and To Claim or Not To Claim.
8. Premiums for Income Support and other benefits