Sir – It is reported that the council is proposing to pay housing benefit directly to claimants instead of to housing associations.

At the same time, the Government has been encouraging landlords to let accommodation to prisoners on release and the like. This seems to be a crazy contradiction.

Why should landlords agree to house people on benefit if they run the risk of not being paid, because the benefit has been squandered or of incurring the considerable expense of having to pursue their tenants through the courts. If private landlords are to respond to the Government’s plea, surely they are entitled to some security of payment.

John Barlow
Wantage