§ Mr. BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what action the Government will take to facilitate the provision of(a) housing and (b) council tax benefit to single mothers who are deemed ineligible for such benefits on the grounds of co-tenanting the same premises with a member of the opposite sex with whom they have no relations [33915]
535W(2) what action the Government will take to ensure that a single parent co-habiting premises with an unassociated member of the opposite sex is placed in the same position for provision of (a) housing and (b) council tax benefit as single parents co-habiting the same premises with a same sex partner. [33916]
§ Malcolm WicksHousing benefit and council tax benefit (HB/CTB) are income-related benefits and entitlement is calculated by looking at an individual's circumstances and income. HB/CTB claims from people who are joint tenants are treated in the same way as any other HB/CTB claim. It is a long-standing principle of the benefits system that where a person is a member of a married couple, or of an unmarried couple who are living together as husband and wife, the income and circumstances of their partner are taken into account when considering income-related benefit entitlement.
We have no current plans to change these arrangements. The benefit treatment of same-sex couples will however be examined in the context of the interdepartmental study of civil partnership registration, announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 28 November 2001, Official Report, column 903W.