Islington Council claims new benefit cuts will leave families unable to afford a home anywhere in the country

More than 70 Islington families with a total of 400 children won’t be able afford a home anywhere in the country after new benefit caps hit, a report has claimed.

A further 170 households will be left in the same position after welfare income is limited to �26,000 a year from next April.

The figures, produced by Islington Council, show after all benefits are deducted, some families could be left with as little as 50p a week for their rent.

Cllr Richard Watts, Islington Council’s executive members for children and families, said: “The Tory-led Government’s cuts are going to leave some families destitute.”

He added: “The families of almost 400 Islington children will be unable to afford to rent any property in the country.

“Unless they change course, Tory and Lib Dem policies will force children and their families to have to rely on food banks and legal loan sharks to survive. It is no exaggeration to say that many families will be faced with the choice between feeding their children and paying their rent.”

A spokesman for the Department for Work Pensions said the number of families affected in this was small and local authorities have been given “substantial sums” to help them.

He added: “If people did the right thing and went into work, they would be unaffected.”