Sink Towns?

Patrick Butler has an interesting piece on some of the knock on effects of the ConDem government's housing benefits changes in Westminster.  He suggests the mass exodus of pupils whose parents can no longer afford the high rents may cause schools to lose much of their budgets.

Interestingly, Westminster are quoted as saying that people can move from there to Brent.  This ignores, the fact that Brent's housing sector will have very similar pressures.  What is likely to happen is an enormous movement of people out of London to areas on the coast (e.g. Hastings) or the North.  By definition people will be moving to poorer areas where jobs are scarce, so it doesn't seem to make sense in terms of getting people off benefits.  It is also likely to lead to some areas becoming "sink towns" where everyone gets locked into a cycle of poverty.  The government's housing benefit changes start in January 2012.