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1672255

registered interest
date	22/11/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of increasing the local housing allowance to the 50th percentile of local market rents.
tabling member constituency	Hayes and Harlington
tabling member printed	John McDonnell
uin	3080
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State has committed to review LHA rates annually and has just completed his review for 2024/25 rates. From April 2024 we are investing £1.2 billion increasing Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents. This significant investment will ensure 1.6 million private renters in receipt of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit will gain on average, nearly £800 per year in additional help towards their rental costs in 2024/25.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 27/11/2023 16:09:38 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	178 label Biography information for John McDonnell

1669746

registered interest
date	13/11/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of annually increasing Local Housing Allowance at a rate greater than or equal to the rate of inflation.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, West Derby
tabling member printed	Ian Byrne
uin	1768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2023 answer text <p>Local Housing Allowance policy is reviewed annually by the Secretary of State, and its impact is monitored regularly. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of this review.</p><p> </p><p>In 2021/22 the Government spent almost £30 billion to support renters in both the private and social rented sector. This is forecast to rise to £31 billion in 2023/24.</p><p> </p><p>LHA rates were boosted by almost £1 billion in 2020, this significant investment has been kept annually to maintain rates.</p><p> </p><p>For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. Since 2011 the Government has provided nearly £1.7 billion in DHP funding to local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 20/11/2023 14:34:08 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4831 label Biography information for Ian Byrne

1662873

registered interest
date	13/10/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of the freeze on Local Housing Allowance since April 2020 on the discretionary income of claimants of the housing element of Universal Credit.
tabling member constituency	Newcastle upon Tyne East
tabling member printed	Mr Nicholas Brown
uin	200727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2023 answer text <p>The department works closely with stakeholders, jobcentres and local authorities to understand the impact of its policies. The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) policy is kept under regular review and rates are reviewed annually by the Secretary of State.</p><p> </p><p>LHA determines the maximum housing support for tenants claiming the housing element of Universal Credit in the private rented sector. It ensures that claimants in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.</p><p> </p><p>In 2020 we spent almost £1 billion increasing LHA rates to the 30th percentile of market rents. This significant investment has been maintained ensuring that everyone who benefited continues to do so. Over 2022/23 and 2023/24 the Government is providing support in excess of £94 billion to help households with the rising cost of living.</p><p> </p><p>The 30<sup>th</sup> percentile levels of local market weekly rents for the Tyneside Broad Rental Market Area for each year from 2020 can be found <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-housing-allowance-lha-rates" target="_blank">here.</a> The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) publish 30<sup>th</sup> percentile rental data alongside weekly LHA rates. This is not available as a monthly equivalent for Universal Credit.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies grouped question UIN 200875 question first answered 20/10/2023 11:31:35 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	523 label Biography information for Mr Nicholas Brown

1651631

registered interest
date	10/07/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse of (a) maintaining Local Housing Allowance rates at the rates those agreed for 2020-21 and (b) increasing Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local rents in April in the (i) 2021-22, (ii) 2022-23, and (iii) 2023-24 financial years.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	193130
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2023 answer text <p>In April 2020 the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) was increased to the 30th percentile of market rents. Since then, LHA rates have been maintained at these levels, Total DWP housing expenditure on claimants subject to the LHA was £8.2 billion in 2020-21 and £8.8 billion for 2021-22 and was forecast to be £9 billion in 2022-23 and £10 billion for 2023-24 at Spring Budget 2023.</p><p> </p><p>Previous estimates have been made of the costs to DWP housing expenditure of increasing LHA rates to the 30th percentile of market rents in specific years. They were as follows:</p><p> </p><p>i) £140 million for 2021-22</p><p>ii) £300 million for 2022-23</p><p>iii) £700 million for 2023-24</p><p> </p><p>These estimates were based on the economic assumptions and forecasts available at the time of their production.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 13/07/2023 09:12:54 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1644736

registered interest
date	14/06/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the potential savings to the public purse following the freezing of Local Housing Allowance rates at their 2020-21 level in the (a) 2021-22, (b) 2022-23 and (c) 2023-24 financial years.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	189571
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2023 answer text <p>The baseline for costings is that LHA rates will be maintained at the elevated cash rates agreed for 2020/21, an investment which cost around £1 billion per year. This means maintaining rates in cash terms would not provide any savings for the Department.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 19/06/2023 14:58:18 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1611343

registered interest
date	17/04/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will make an assessment on the potential merits of removing the freeze on the local housing allowance rates in the context of the level of inflation and affordability of renting in city areas.
tabling member constituency	Belfast South
tabling member printed	Claire Hanna
uin	180971
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2023 answer text <p>The Local Housing Allowance policy is kept under regular review. We monitor average rents and housing support levels provided to claimants to assess the impact of the policy and the merits of any potential changes prior to a fiscal event. Any assessment made is always within the context of the economic landscape at the time and considers demographic groups or areas which may be particularly impacted.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In April 2020 Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates were raised to the 30th percentile of local market rents, a significant investment of almost £1 billion. Since then, we have maintained the increase so that everyone who benefited from the increase continues to do so.</p><p> </p><p>LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. DHPs can be paid to those in receipt of qualifying housing support who face a shortfall in meeting their rental housing costs.</p><p> </p><p>These payments are entirely at the discretion of the Local Authority and since 2011 the Government has provided nearly £1.6 billion to local authorities for households who need additional support with their housing costs.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 25/04/2023 13:48:28 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4827 label Biography information for Claire Hanna

1608800

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of freezing the rates of Local Housing Allowance on the number of people who will be unable to meet their housing costs.
tabling member constituency	Caerphilly
tabling member printed	Wayne David
uin	176572
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2023 answer text <p>The Department does not hold this information, therefore no such estimate had been made.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 17/04/2023 10:36:39 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1398 label Biography information for Wayne David

1602046

registered interest
date	07/03/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) England who are only eligible for the Shared Accommodation Local Housing Allowance rate reside in one-bedroom homes.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	160216
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2023 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 13/03/2023 17:58:24 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

1600302

registered interest
date	01/03/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the Local Housing Allowance in the context of the cost of living crisis.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	156197
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2023 answer text <p>The Local Housing Allowance policy is kept under regular review, we monitor average rents and housing support levels provided to claimants to assess the impact of the policy.</p><p> </p><p>In April 2020 Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates were raised to the 30th percentile of local market rents, a significant investment of almost £1 billion, we have maintained the increase since then so that everyone who benefited from the increase continues to do so. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.</p><p> </p><p>For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. Since 2011 the Government has provided nearly £1.6 billion in DHP funding to local authorities</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that rents are increasing. However, the challenging fiscal environment means that difficult decisions were necessary to ensure support is targeted effectively.</p><p> </p><p>The Government announced substantial cost of living support for 2023/24 in the Autumn Statement. This is intended to provide stability and certainty for households and includes Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable, meaning around 8 million households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to a further £900 in Payments in 2023/24.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, to protect the most vulnerable, benefits and state pensions will be increased by 10.1% in 2023-24.</p><p>For those who need additional support the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including Barnett impact, to enable a further extension to the Household Support Fund in England over the 2023/24 financial year. In England, this scheme will be backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which local authorities will use to help households with the cost of essentials. It will be for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their additional Barnett funding.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 08/03/2023 11:25:54 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1600307

registered interest
date	01/03/2023
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Local Housing Allowance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the freeze of the Local Housing Allowance ahead of the March Statement.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	156198
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2023 answer text <p>The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chancellor across the full range of DWP business in the lead up to a fiscal event. These discussions are sensitive and we are not able to disclose information regarding these meetings.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 08/03/2023 11:23:48 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq