By Hayley Robinson

Cuts to housing benefits won't force people out of London and into Swale - that's the view of Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson.

Last month the government announced in its spending review plans to limit housing benefit to around £400 a week - approximately £1,600 a month - for a privately rented four-bedroom home.

In a letter to the Sittingbourne Messenger, Cllr Mike Haywood, spokesman for the Labour Party on housing and sustainable communities, criticised the move.

He claimed the cap would force claimants out of London into cheaper accommodation in Kent, as families on low-incomes wouldn't be able to afford to stay in privately rented property in the city.

He also pointed out that in Kent, Swale has the second highest number of people waiting on the social housing register for a home.

Mr Henderson accused Cllr Haywood of 'scaremongering people who are vulnerable' and pointed out the cap was for privately rented accommodation.

He said: "Cllr Haywood has contradicted himself.

"He is quite right that we have a lack of housing in Swale, but on the other hand he is suggesting people will come to Swale into housing we've not got so it's illogical to assume that.

"Nobody has ever accused me of being a political hack but I fully support what the government is trying to achieve.

"I don't make any apologies for saying people shouldn't be able to live in a house that people working hard can't afford to live in.

"If it means people who currently live in more expensive areas of London have to move out and into less expensive areas of London so be it, and they can only come into the Swale area if they can find accommodation.

"I don't quite see how they could come here because if there's a cap it's for everyone.

"There can't be anyone in Swale that considers it right we should pay £400 a week in housing benefits [for someone] to live in a four-bedroom house.

"As for the cap harming people in our area I would be very surprised if we had anyone living in privately rented accommodation in Swale where they are paying more than £1,600 a month, and if anyone was living in a house of that magnitude I feel they should be finding cheaper accommodation."

In Swale there are 9,869 private tenants who claim housing benefit, 4,949 who have private landlords.