§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many recipients of housing benefit will lose benefit owing to the exclusion of emergency alarms from eligible service charges; and what savings will accrue from this change.
§ Mr. PortilloThe draft regulations for the reformed housing benefit scheme ensure, in line with current policy, that housing benefit will be available to help with the costs of alarm systems where they are provided in accommodation which is particularly suitable for and occupied by elderly, sick or disabled people. Our guidance to local authorities on the current housing benefit scheme makes it clear that housing benefit should only meet the cost of accommodation-related, as opposed to purely personal services. Accordingly we would not expect any loss in benefit, or expenditure savings where local authorities have followed that guidance.
§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people lost all entitlement to housing benefit as a result of changes in tapers in each year from 1982 to 1986.
§ Mr. PortilloWe do not have separate figures for loss of entitlement through taper changes where other changes were made to the housing benefit scheme. The table shows the numbers estimated to lose all entitlement as a result of changes to the housing benefit scheme between 1983 and 1985; there were no taper changes in 1982 or 1986. The numbers shown should not necessarily be regarded as cumulative.
Housing benefit: Households losing all entitlement 1983–1985 Great Britain thousands April 1983 taper change April and November 1984 changes to tapers, minimum and child's needs allowance1 November 1985 rate taper change2 400 500 450 1 The figures include those affected by the non-dependant deduction changes. 2 The figures refer to rate rebates only; some households may still have received assistance with rents.
§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are expected to lose entitlement to housing benefit as a result of changes made in 1987.
§ Mr. PortilloAn estimated 110,000 households lost all entitlement to a rent rebate or allowance in April 1987 as a result of the increase in the rent taper from 29 per cent. to 33 per cent. A significant proportion will still qualify for a rate rebate.