Coalition welfare reforms are forcing poorer families to flee private sector rented housing in central London, an analysis of official figures by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has indicated.

The exodus from central London contrasts with the overall national picture,
where rising prices led to a 6.4% increase in the number of private sector tenants, including those in work, claiming housing benefit between March 2011 and November 2013.

Across London as a whole the claimant count for HB has increased by 3.9%.