Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, Lynne Featherstone has uncovered a scandal of Haringey Council not using money made available to help those with housing difficulties.

Each year the Government allocates councils money under the Discretionary Housing Payment funding.Since 2001, £¼ million has been unused under this scheme and returned to central government by Haringey’s Labour administration.

Lynne Featherstone MP said:

“I see some heartbreaking cases at my surgery where families are in dire need, often through circumstances beyond their control and that is what this fund is for. I dread to think how many families have been let down by Labour’s woeful administration of this housing fund.

“This is money that could have been used to help those most in need, when they most needed it.This is Labour failing on all accounts.”

Councillor Neil Williams added

“It is yet another confirmation of why Labour can’t be trusted to run public accounts.

“For a party that claims to be for social justice, it is the poorest in Haringey that get the rawest deal under Labour”

Note:The detailed figures are in a written answer to a Parliamentary Question from Lynne Featherstone, published on 9th February.