Welfare reforms 'disaster waiting to happen' says Kevin Green
Social entrepreneur Kevin Green has warned that the Government’s Universal Credit welfare reforms are a “disaster waiting to happen”. Green, who is one of the UK’s largest private sector landlords, has said the Government should be ringing “alarm bells” following the results of a South Wales trial of benefit reforms. The trial in Torfaen saw rent arrears from tenants in the area rise seven-fold to £140,000 in seven months. The planned Government changes mean that housing benefit (previously paid directly to landlords) will now be transferred to claimants. The Government has said that the change will help claimants manage their finances better. But landlords in the pilot area in Torfaen have warned that evictions could increase if the trend in the trial area continues after the system for paying benefits is fully adopted. Millionaire entrepreneur Green, 49, runs a massive portfolio of private rental properties from his South Wales base. “Like hundreds of other landlords out there, I o...