| answer text |
<p>The Benefit Cap aims to provide fairness for hard-working taxpaying households,
whilst providing a reasonable safety net of support for the most vulnerable.</p><p>
</p><p>We introduced £9.3bn of welfare measures that benefit those facing the most
financial disruption and, in May 2020, less than five per cent of the two million
Housing Benefit and Universal Credit claimants living in the private rented sector,
93,830 tenants, had their benefit capped.</p><p> </p><p>From April 2020 Local Housing
Allowance rates were increased to cover the lowest 30th percent of local rents. This
£1bn investment will benefit over 1 million households with an average increase of
£600 this year. This will help alleviate the pressure on Discretionary Housing Payments
that claimants can apply for through their Local Authority if they need additional
support to meet rental costs.</p><p> </p><p>We have provided £180m in Discretionary
Housing Payments to Local Authorities in England and Wales for 2020/21, which includes
an additional £40m to help tackle affordability pressures in the private rented sector.</p>
|
|
