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Homelessness is sadly becoming a reality for increasing numbers of young people, and plans floated yet again by the prime minister and chancellor this week to abolish housing benefit for under-25s will only make things worse.

There is nothing unusual about someone in their early 20s living with mum and dad in 21st-century Britain. Indeed, in laying out his plans to abolish housing benefit for under-25s, chancellor George Osborne said: "There are plenty of people listening to this programme who can't afford to move out of their home, but there are people on benefits who can get housing benefit under the age of 25." 

A North East property boss has described himself as “shocked” by one of Britain’s best known landlord’s decision to evict 200 tenants simply for being on benefits – calling the decision “short-sighted and self-defeating.”

Fergus Wilson – who owns nearly 1000 properties in Kent with his wife Judith –hit the headlines this week for issuing eviction notices to every tenant who receives welfare, and has announced that he will no longer accept applicants on housing benefit. 

A right-wing Tory politician has said that the controversial bedroom tax should be extended to include pensioners within its net.

Julian Brazier, MP for Canterbury, has claimed he is unhappy that pensioners are exempt from the widely ridiculed under-occupancy policy, and that such a move would "free up accommodation for young families". 

Data from the new Move with Us Rental Index, which focuses on Greater London, has revealed that there is now a £4,411 gap in asking rents across the capital. 

The most expensive borough in November 2013 was Kensington and Chelsea at £5,438 per calendar month, and Bexley the cheapest at £1,027. 

Londoner Leo Alexander insisted that for some under-25s, housing benefit is "a necessity".

He left home at 18 due to family breakdown and said the money he receives goes straight towards subsidising the cost of the hostel he lives in. 

A MUM has been ordered to pay bedroom tax – even though the tiny room is a vital haven for her severely disabled daughter.

Dawn Lennon’s girl Kelly Marie, 28 – who is blind and unable to walk or talk – relies on the sensory room, which contains a soft ball pit and is used to store her wheelchairs. 

Homelessness charity Crisis has warned that high rents are one of the factors which put young people at risk of homelessness.

Crisis identifies other issues to be low benefits and a lack of decent housing. 

Residents are being encouraged to seek help from their local credit union rather than go to payday loan companies when times get tough.

Credit unions are financial co-operatives, owned and managed by the members who use them. 

More young people are at risk of homelessness due to high rents, low benefits and a lack of decent housing, homelessness charity Crisis has warned.

As the charity opens its 'Crisis at Christmas' centres today, it is launching 'Shut Out', a new campaign calling for more to be done to stop young people becoming homeless. 

A third of disabled applicants have been refused support from a government fund designed to give them temporary financial help to cope with cuts to their benefit income as a result of the bedroom tax, a survey claims.

Ministers have persistently rejected arguments that the bedroom tax discriminates against disabled people by arguing that the availability of discretionary housing payment (DHP) grants to vulnerable households fulfils their duties under equality laws. 

A Credit Union in North Somerset has seen its membership double in the past 12 months – following warnings about the dangers of pay-day loans.

The Somerset Savings and Loans, which was previously North Somerset Credit Union, has seen its membership increase in the last 12 months from 1,000 members to just under 2,000. 

Its nearly Christmas and shoppers are being urged not to spoil the festive fun by creating mountains of personal debt which will take months to clear. 

Instead there are other ways to make the most of what you have and consumers who are canny could end the year by saving themselves a few pounds. 

Bristol Mayor George Ferguson will today be urged to continue with a "no evictions" policy over council tenants who fall into arrears because of the so-called "bedroom tax".

Tenants lose £12.70 a week in housing benefit if they are judged to have one bedroom more than they need or £23.90 a week if they have two bedrooms too many.

David Cameron has rejected a proposal from a senior Conservative MP to limit child benefit to two children for every family.

Nadhim Zahawi, a member of the No 10 Policy Board, called for child benefit and child tax credits to available only for a family’s first two children. 

National debt advice charity the Money Advice Trust has reported that rent arrears are now the fastest growing debt problem in the UK. 

The number of calls to the charity’s National Debtline service from people with rent arrears has risen significantly since the economic crisis first hit in 2007.  

Two and a half million British adults will take out loans to heat their homes this Christmas, a social landlord's poll has revealed.

Circle Housing's survey found that around seven million (15%) British adults will take out a loan over the festive period to cover costs. 

Given that you may have become used to hearing about the government tightening up on payments like housing benefits, you might be rather surprised to learn not just that the number of people who claim it has gone up by rather a lot, but also that the number of people with jobs who receive housing benefit has risen so much - an extra 310 every day claims the National Housing Federation.

That's not just because wages have stagnated so much, with many people coping with freezes to their pay, or only being able to find part-time work. But it's also down to very significant increases in the cost of private rents.

Thousands of new homes for rent are to be built across the UK through a major deal that has the backing of Prime Minister David Cameron.

Residential and urban regeneration specialist Sigma, has agreed a major joint venture with Gatehouse Bank plc which will support the roll-out of an initial 2,000 new privately rented residential properties across the North West, with the development cost estimated at £200m. 

THE full effect of sweeping changes to the welfare system has yet to become clear.

A cross-party group of councillors has heard from senior officials from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) about the new Universal Credit, which was introduced in Rugby last Monday.

The meeting was part of the early stages of its fact-finding work as the council seeks assurances over the support to residents affected by the benefit cap, changes to local council tax support, the so-called bedroom tax and Universal Credit.

Last year, eight million loans, totalling £2billion, were agreed by high cost lenders and - “quick and easy” process costs can cause financial pain

It’s the most expensive time of the year for many Brits and with high street banks tough on who they will lend to many are forced to turn to a payday loan to help with the cost of christmas.