Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Carmarthenshire residents have been warned they can expect to lose £485 a year on average due to changes in welfare. The Welsh Government warned that on average working-age adults in Carmarthenshire could see a loss of income of around £485 a year by 2015/16 due to changes in welfare. New figures released by Ministers today also show that on average working-age adults in Wales will see around a £500 annual loss in their income. For the full story from the Carmarthen Journal, click on the headline link.

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...