THE number of working people claiming housing benefit in Croydon has shot up 1,100 per cent since 2010.
Labour Party research shows Croydon to have seen by far the highest increase in the country as 12,610 employed people claimed the benefit in 2013 compared to just 1,051 in 2010.
This is compared to a 60 per cent increase across the country since 2010 and the closest local authorities to Croydon were Fareham (883 per cent) in Hampshire and Pendle (777 per cent) in Lancashire.
But the total number of housing benefit claimants rose by just 11 per cent in the same period from 32,953 to 36,559, meaning there was a drop in the amount of unemployed claimants.
Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves and shadow housing minister Emma Reynolds were at the Sir Philip Game Centre in Addiscombe this morning to discuss the figures with housing benefit claimants.
Rachel Reeves, Labour's Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: "The huge increase in people who are in work claiming housing benefit is the result of the government's failure to make work pay, tackle the cost-of-living crisis and build the new homes we need.
"Labour will tackle the rising cost-of-living by freezing gas and electricity bills and we'll make work pay by restoring the value of the national minimum wage and getting more employers to pay a living wage, ensuring more people earn enough to cover the cost of living."
The Conservatives have said, however, that the rise in benefits is a knock-on effect of policies of the previous Labour administration.
A Conservative spokesperson said: "We know people have been facing tough times. That's because they are still feeling the effects of Labour's Great Recession.
"Labour are talking about a problem they created.
"The truth is the housing benefit bill spiralled out of control under Labour, doubling to £20 billion in a decade and forecast to rise further.
"Action this government has taken is bringing that bill under control - saving the taxpayer over £2bn a year.
"And contrary to these figures, we have seen the number of housing benefit claimants fall over the last quarter.
"We have also taken action to help hardworking people by increasing the tax-free personal allowance, freezing fuel-duty, and introducing free school meals and tax free childcare."
