住房补贴冻结加剧英国低收入家庭租住危机

智库Resolution Foundation发布报告警告，超过110万低收入租住家庭正面临严峻的住房成本危机1。这一危机的主要原因是地方住房补贴（LHA）自2024年秋季以来被冻结，而租金市场持续上涨，导致补贴水平与实际租金差距不断扩大1。

根据该机构的分析，低收入家庭租住两卧室公寓时，平均每周缺口达158英镑，其中伦敦部分地区的缺口甚至超过300英镑每周1。Resolution Foundation经济学家Stephen Hunsaker表示："到今年10月，平均租金和地方住房补贴水平之间的差距将创历史新高"1。预计到2028年3月，这一差距可能扩大至30%1。调查数据显示，五分之一的住房补贴领取者无法维持家庭温暖，八分之一甚至无法负担每天三餐1。

该智库建议政府在10月28日提交的预算中恢复LHA与当地租金的自动挂钩机制1。这一改革每年将花费约20亿英镑1。根据该机构的说法，LHA从2008年首次引入时是按当地租金中位数计算，2011年后改为按第30百分位数确定1。

The Resolution Foundation has warned that more than 1.1 million low-income renting households face a mounting housing cost crisis as local housing allowance (LHA) remains frozen and rental prices continue to climb 1. Since autumn 2024, the freeze on LHA has widened the gap between what families can afford and actual market rents, with low-income households renting two-bedroom apartments experiencing an average weekly shortfall of £158 1. In parts of London, this gap exceeds £300 per week 1.

The think tank has called on the government to restore the automatic link between LHA and local rental rates in its October 28 budget, a measure it estimates would cost £20 billion annually 1. According to Resolution Foundation economist Stephen Hunsaker, "by this October, the gap between average rents and local housing allowance levels will reach a historic high" 1. Without intervention, the disparity could widen to 30 percent by March 2028 1. Survey data reveals the human toll: one in five housing benefit recipients cannot afford to heat their homes adequately, and one in eight struggle to afford three meals a day 1.