A NEW housing benefit cap will poke a £68 hole in the pockets of thousands of elderly people and put their lives at risk, housing providers warned yesterday.

The cap would see housing benefit for social housing put on a level with private renters’ local housing allowance, but no provisions have been made for supported accommodation.

According to the National Housing Federation (NHF) over 50,000 households could be affected in the first year of the cap.

Former soldier Sean Percival-Scott said that, after finding himself homeless and suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, he owed his life to supported housing.

“It wasn’t until a failed suicide attempt that I was directed towards the Single Persons Accommodation Centre for the Ex-Services and booked into the Beacon, a supported housing service run by Riverside Housing Association for homeless veterans,” he said.

“They gave me the help I needed to get back on my feet.

“Without the Beacon I would have had no other options.

“They saved me, helped me turn myself around and provided support during the most difficult period of my life.”

Experts suggest that when the cut comes into place 82,000 specialist homes — 41 per cent of all of the services — will become unviable and be forced to close. Closures would also include schemes such as dementia accommodation and refuges for domestic violence and abuse survivors.

“These cutbacks will close off the avenues that people who are in the same situation that I was most desperately need,” said Mr Percival-Scott.

“Everybody can fall regardless of upbringing or stature. We shouldn’t take away the hand that picks them up.”