A judge has ruled that blanket bans on renting properties to people on housing benefit are unlawful and discriminatory.
The court ruling found a single mother-of-two had encountered discrimination indirectly after a letting agent failed to rent to her.
The woman and her children ended up being homeless. Her case was then taken on by housing charity Shelter.
District Judge Victoria Mark heard the case in York County Court and ruled, “Rejecting tenancy applications because the applicant is in receipt of housing benefit was unlawfully discriminating on the grounds of sex and disability.”
She added that this was contrary to the Equality Act 2010.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said, “This momentous ruling should be the nail in the coffin for ‘No DSS’ discrimination.
“It will help give security and stability to people who unfairly struggle to find a place to live just because they receive housing benefit.”
