Sir – It’s not surprising that Bob Price (Report, November 15) got his facts on benefit changes slightly wrong, as the changes are so complicated. Some cuts have already happened. Housing benefit is now only paid based on the cheapest 30 per cent of private rents. This makes most private rents in Oxford unaffordable. Child benefit continues to be frozen, in spite of the rising costs of food and fuel. Benefits paid to those of working age are now linked to the (lower) Consumer Prices Index, instead of the RPI and there have been complex changes to the rules for tax credits. More changes for the worse are coming next April. They include the “bedroom tax” the “benefit cap” plus cuts in council tax benefits, disability living allowance and the social fund.All of this is before the changes that Bob Price was referring to, namely the move to replace six existing benefits with universal credit.

We also fear that yet more cuts and changes will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn statement on December 5. For most people, all of this may be an incomprehensible muddle. But it is about the day-to-day incomes of thousands of Oxford people. Yes, we do need accurate information about all of this. But it is central Government which should be leading in informing the public about these cuts. In the absence of this we applaud the city council’s attempt to fill the gap.

Margaret Wareing, Oxford and District Child Poverty Action Group, Littlemore