§ Sir Brandon Rhys Williamsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many and what proportion of households were eligible for housing benefit, or its equivalent, in 1975, 1979 and the latest date for which the figures are available, distinguishing between supplementary benefit and supplementary pension beneficiaries and other claimants.
§ Dr. BoysonThe latest available estimate of the numbers receiving standard housing benefit is 3,910,000; of those receiving certificated benefit, 1,420,000 are pensioners and 1,610,000 are non-pensioners. Estimates of the number and proportion of households eligible for the equivalent of housing benefit in 1975 and 1979 are not available because of the difficulty of extracting information about people receiving help with housing costs through supplementary benefit. Estimates of households eligible for housing benefit since the introduction of the new scheme cannot be made until more recent family expenditure survey data become available.
§ Mr. John Fraserasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will amend the housing benefit scheme to make eligible for benefit service charges payable under shared ownership leases and leases granted under part I of the Housing Act 1980.
§ Dr. BoysonWhere a dwelling is part leased and part rented under a shared ownership scheme, a proportion of the service charge, equal to the proportion of the dwelling which is rented, is already eligible for benefit. We have no plans to extend the housing benefit scheme to cover service charges payable under a long lease, or that proportion of the charges attributable to the proportion of a dwelling occupied under a long lease.
§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will apply the same rules for the direct payment of rent to private landlords under the unified housing benefit scheme as apply in the public sector.
§ Dr. BoysonExisting regulations provide that a rent allowance may be paid direct to a housing association or housing trust if the claimant is at least 13 weeks in arrears with his rent. Draft regulations before Parliament provide for this arrangement to be extended to all private landlords, with effect from 1 April.
665W
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will refer to the Social Security Advisory Committee all changes in housing benefits regulations arising from his consideration of representations to him since 17 November 1983.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 6 February 1984, c. 502]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced, we have now laid regulations, incorporating changes to our original proposals for reductions in housing benefit. The changes in these regulations were not referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee because they respond to recommendations made by the committee on the original proposals.
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what new model assumptions to the effects of changes in housing benefit his Department has calculated in the context of the draft proposals for changes in housing benefit already announced or variations thereof; if he will place them in the Library; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 6 February 1984, c. 502]: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services made on 6 February.
§ Mr. Frank Fieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the November 1983 increases in the housing benefit needs allowances and retirement pensions required local authorities to recalculate standard housing benefit for retirement pensioners.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 6 February 1984, c. 502]: Yes.
§ Mr. Johnasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give an assurance that, in the event of any delay in the implementation of the housing benefit cuts, no such cuts shall take effect retrospectively.
§ Dr. Boyson[pursuant to his reply, 6 February 1984, c. 502]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 6 February the proposed reductions in housing benefit have been modified and will now take place in two stages. This takes account of the need to allow local authorities time to implement the changes.