Today’s budget added the removal of housing benefit from under-21s to worrying recent developments in Tory housing policy. The new ‘Right to Buy’ is already asset-stripping housing association houses without properly providing replacements, entrenching inequality in the housing market even further. The new policy of preventing under-21s from claiming housing benefit is now going to put a home out of reach of thousands of young men and women at a critical time in their lives, and even threatens to put people out of homes they already live in should they have the misfortune to lose a job or an income, however temporarily. Liberal Democrats prevented this change to housing benefit taking place under the last government, despite it being brought up by the Conservatives multiple times. Whilst we are proud to have been in a position to resist this change over the last five years, it is no consolation in the face of Conservative housing policies that look set to make it harder than ever for the young and the less well-off to find a home for themselves in our communities and to feel secure within it. If you are experiencing any issues related to housing, the national charity Shelter can provide impartial advice. Click here to visit their site.