by political editor Paul Francis

Cuts to housing allowances will see hundreds of low income households across Kent lose as much as £50 a month, says a leading charity.

says the impact of the changes will be felt by pensioners, the disabled and other vulnerable groups, as councils move to lower the rate at which local housing allowances are set for private rented accommodation. The allowances are different to housing benefits and do not affect council tenants. ShelterHousing campaign group

According to Shelter, households in Shepway will be worst affected with those living in privately-rented two-bedroomed homes losing £52 a month and those in homes with more bedrooms losing £49 - representing a 12 per cent loss in allowances paid by councils.

However, in contrast, those renting in Ashford stand to lose a smaller seven per cent in their allowances.

But the impact of the government’s plans on those on low incomes will be felt right across the county under proposals due to take effect in October.

On average, those in two-bedroomed homes in Kent will lose £42 a month while those in larger homes will lose £49 a month.

In Dover and Canterbury, households will stand to lose 11 per cent of their allowance. In Medway, it will be 10 per cent and in Thanet, Tonbridge and Malling, Swale, Gravesham and Tunbridge Wells, the potential loss will be nine per cent.

Under the government’s plans, councils will set allowances rates at a lower level than they have been.

At the moment, they are set on the basis of an average of rent values across half of the area’s cheapest properties. From October, they will be based on the cheapest across 30 per cent.

Shelter says the many people will struggle to make up the shortfall.

Chief executive Campbell Robb said: "This analysis shows these cuts will affect hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Many are those already on low incomes such as pensioners, disabled people, carers and people in low paid jobs who will really struggle to find the extra money they will need to keep a roof over their head. For a pensioner surviving on £98 a week, or those on the minimum wage of £218 a week, these losses represent a significant proportion of their income."

The charity’s analyis coincides with a warning that east Kent could be overwhelmed by an influx of new claimants pushed out of costly accommodation in the capital.

Thanet council chief executive Richard Samuel said the changes risked a re-run of the phenomenon of "dole-on-sea" in the 1980s, when people moved from London to places like Thanet to live in cheap bed and breakfast accommodation.