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Government proposals to cut housing benefit for families who commit anti-social behaviour have been condemned by homelessness charity Shelter, writes Sally Gillen.

Shelter said the measure, which would see tenants who were convicted of anti-social behaviour twice in three years lose their housing benefit for up to a year, would do nothing to tackle the problem.

Instead, it would exacerbate poverty and housing need among some of the poorest families, the charity said.

Shelter’s director of external affairs Ben Jackson added: “This idea simply will not work. Taking away housing benefit will make families homeless and local authorities will then have to house them in expensive temporary accommodation.”

He added that the benefit system was already complex and poorly administered.

“Trying to use it as a means of social control will only make matters worse,” he said.

The plans, which follow the announcement last week that the parents of truants may have their child benefit cut, were developed as part of a private members bill by former social security minister Frank Field and have received their second reading in the House of Commons.