PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has welcomed the emergence of further details about government plans to shake up housing benefit.

Earlier this year, the Labour back-bencher broke the news of a Green Paper on the issue after quizzing Social Security Minister Angela Eagle in the Commons.

He was horrified to discover that Pendle's housing benefit bill had rocketed from £1 million in 1990 to £9 a year today. And he fingered rogue landlords as the reason for much of the increase.

This week Social Security Secretary Alistair Darling revealed moves to crack down on the fraud - particularly by owners. He is determined to cut the £840 million a year fraud bill.

He also wants to stop problems with unemployed claimants losing out on the cash when they go into work.

It is likely that the current system, where councils pay out the benefit and are reimbursed by the Treasury, will end and that claimants In low income jobs will get the cash as a tax credit in their wage packets. Mr Darling added that no-one would be left without help towards their rent or mortgage if they needed it.

Mr Prentice said: "I have been pushing for a review of housing benefit for months and months. "I am very pleased that work is proceeding on this Green Paper and look forward to seeing the details. I am absolutely convinced that we need to reform the system and tackle the question of fraud."

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