CONTROVERSIAL plans to dock housing benefit from "neighbours from hell" are likely to be ditched amid claims they are unworkable and punish the poor.

The proposals to stop people who inflict misery on their neighbours were left out of the Queen's Speech.

Now the Government has admitted it is strongly considering scrapping the idea after it ran into a storm of criticism.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said: "We are not definitely scrapping it, but we are not ruling that out."

As recently as the summer, local authorities in the North were asked to put forward their views on how the scheme should be put in practice.

One option was for housing benefit to be docked from anyone convicted of an anti-social behaviour offence.

But a separate proposal - favoured by ministers - was to give local authorities the power to act after two warnings following complaints from neighbours.

It was proposed that the triggers for benefit loss should include throwing rubbish into gardens, playing incessant loud music, threats of violence against neighbours, graffiti, as well as criminal acts.

Ministers had hinted that the punishments could be in place by the end of 2003.

But critics warned the proposals breached human rights law and would make vulnerable people homeless.

Housing pressure groups claimed poorer tenants would face "double jeopardy", because they would lose benefits on top of any court fines.

In contrast, wealthier anti-social tenants not claiming housing benefit would only face punishment in the courts.

The Government is keen to target benefits after becoming frustrated with the reluctance of the courts to use anti-social behaviour orders against unruly tenants.

But it has already stepped back from similar plans to dock child benefit from the parents of persistent truants and troublemakers.