I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 15 March this year to Written Question 66778 on this subject. This can be accessed from the following link:<\/p>
<\/p>
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-03-07/66778/<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-04-26T16:18:53.04Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Homelessness: Young People"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to housing benefit for 18 to 21-year olds on levels of youth homelessness.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/411", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Huddersfield"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Barry Sheerman"}
], "uin" : "71706"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/723807", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/723807/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The requested information is available on GOV.uk.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> The available information for Housing Benefit claimants in each Local Authority is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:<\/p> <\/p> https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Historic Housing Benefit expenditure for each Local Authority is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/554026/benefit-expenditure-by-local-authority-2015-16.ods<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-04-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-04-27T08:37:01.737Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing Benefit: Southwark"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, (a) how many people claimed housing benefit and (b) what the total amount of housing benefit claimed was in the London Borough of Southwark in each of the last seven years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/150", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ms Harriet Harman"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Camberwell and Peckham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Harriet Harman"}
], "uin" : "71749"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/722566", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/722566/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This policy affects Universal Credit recipients only, not Housing Benefit recipients.<\/p> <\/p> There is a wide range of exemptions from this policy which will ensure that vulnerable people are protected. As the policy will only apply to those who have no impediment to a return to the parental home I do not anticipate that there will be any impact on the levels of homelessness.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-04-24T14:59:03.26Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Homelessness: Coventry"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of changes to housing benefit for unemployed 18 to 21-year olds on levels of homelessness in (a) Coventry South constituency and (b) the City of Coventry.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"}
], "uin" : "71265"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/722572", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/722572/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " DWP has not made an assessment specifically looking at the effect of paying Housing Benefit directly to tenants and their ability to secure accommodation in the private rented sector. The Government believes that direct payment of Housing Benefit to claimants is an important consideration in encouraging people to manage their own budget in the same way as other households, particularly where it may help claimants when they move in work.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4048", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Nokes"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Romsey and Southampton North"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Caroline Nokes"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-04-26T16:10:11.027Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-04-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing Benefit: Private Rented Housing"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effect of paying housing benefit directly to tenants on their ability to secure accommodation in the private rented sector.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4359", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stephen Kinnock"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Aberavon"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stephen Kinnock"}
], "uin" : "71310"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/722573", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/722573/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government believes that direct payment of Housing Benefit to claimants is an important consideration in encouraging people to manage their own budget in the same way as other households, particularly where it may help claimants when they move in work.<\/p> <\/p> Direct payment of Housing Benefit to tenants was introduced nationally in the private rented sector from 2008 as part of the Local Housing Allowance scheme. Whilst the majority of Housing Benefit claimants are paid directly, there is still provision for direct payments to be made to landlords in certain circumstances. The number of tenants in receipt of Housing Benefit in the private rented sector is available on DWP Stat-Xplore<\/a>.<\/p> <\/p> Guidance for users is available at:<\/p> <\/p>