HC Deb 20 May 1980 vol 985 c146W
Sir Brandon Rhys Williams

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private sector households are currently in receipt of rent allowances; what estimate he has made of the proportion this represents of the total number eligible; and what are the average weekly amounts paid in inner London and in the areas eligible for the lower scales of allowance.

Mr. Stanley

At April 1979, 208,000 private sector tenants in England and Wales were in direct receipt of rent allowances. This figure includes 200,000 allowances granted to tenants in unfurnished accommodation representing an estimated 50 per cent.-55 per cent. of the number eligible. It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the number of eligible tenants in furnished accommodation.

The average weekly allowance granted to private tenants at April 1979 was (a) £4.52 in Inner London, as a whole, (b) £5.07 in the areas of those authorities in Inner London granted an authorisation under Section 20(5) of the Housing Finance Act 1972 to pay more generous rent rebates and allowances because rents in their areas are exceptionally high, and (c) £4.12 in areas in Inner London where there is no such authorisation.