HC Deb 31 July 1981 vol 9 cc714-5W
Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities which are authorised to use the current high rent rebate or allowance scheme; and if he will indicate any relevant conditions including rent levels and types of tenants.

Mr. Stanley

Authorisations to pay more generous rent rebates or allowances under section 20(5) of the Housing Finance Act 1972 may be granted where the Secretary of State considers rents to be exceptionally high in comparison to those charged elsewhere. Authorisations may apply to all tenants—area authorisations—or to tenants of a particular class of dwellings—class authorizations—in the area of an applicant authority. In the latter case "class" is defined by reference to "dwellings", not to "tenants". Following is a list of the authorities currently holding authorisations and the type held:

Authorisations Held
Area Authorisations Class Authorisations
Local Authority Rent Rebate Rent Allowance Rent Rebate Rent Allowance
London Borough of Barnet* YES YES NO YES
London Borough of Bexley YES NO NO NO
London Borough of Camden* NO YES NO NO
London Borough of Ealing YES NO NO NO
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham* YES NO NO NO
London Borough of Harrow* YES YES NO NO
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea YES YES NO NO
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames YES YES NO NO
London Borough of Lambeth* NO NO NO YES
London Borough of Southwark* YES NO NO YES
London Borough of Sutton* YES NO NO NO
London Borough of Wandsworth* YES NO NO NO
London Borough of Westminster* YES YES NO NO
Greater London Council* YES NO NO NO
City of London* YES NO NO NO
Hertsmere Borough Council* NO NO YES NO
City of Liverpool YES NO NO NO
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council* NO NO NO YES

For those authorities marked with an *, where authorisations were granted prior to 1 April this year, those apply to rents of £10 or more per week. In all other cases they apply to rents of £13 or more per week. Generally authorisations are granted for a period of one year from November.

Mr. Dubs

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the consultative document of March 1981, "Assistance with Housing Costs", annex C, takes account of the gains and losses of tenants in local authorities which use the current high rent rebate or allowance scheme under section 20 (5) of the Housing Finance Act 1972.

Mr. Stanley

I shall write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Latham

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to uprate the rent rebate, rent allowance and rate rebate schemes this November.

Mr. Stanley

My right hon. Friend proposes to make increases in rent rebates, rent allowances and rate rebates which will benefit all recipients, especially those on low earnings, families with children, and the handicapped.

The increases are as follows:

  • The needs allowance, used in the calculation of housing benefits, will rise in line with the State retirement pensions—up from £34.90 to £37.35 for a single person from £51.70 to £55.60 for a couple.
  • The allowance for a dependent child will be increased to maintain it at the same proportion of the needs allowance as it was in 1972—up from £9.60 to £10.35.
  • The earnings disregard, for a single person or couple one of whom is earning, will be increased to give low paid workers up to £1.86 per week more—up from £9.60 to £15.25. Where a couple are both earning, the spouse's disregard is unchanged.
  • The handicapped persons' needs allowance and deductions from benefits for non-dependents will also be increased.