§ Mr. Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners will lose under the new unified housing benefit (a) more than £2 per week, (b) more than £1 per week, (c) 75 pence to £1 per week, (d) 50 pence to 75 pence per week and (e) under 50 pence per week.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will now publish an updated estimate of total losers and gainers under the housing benefit scheme;
(2) if he can now provide up-to-date estimates of losers and gainers due to taper changes in the housing benefit scheme.
§ Mr. Rossi:Fresh estimates of the position at the start of the scheme are being prepared and will be completed as soon as the relevant up-to-date information is available. I will then write to my hon. Friend and the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the expected target of housing benefit 100 per cent. certificates to be issued by his Department's local offices to local authorities in respect of housing benefit by 22 November; and what progress has been made so far in each region.
§ Mr. Rossi:I expect very shortly a report on progress in implementing the partial start for housing benefit and will let the hon. Member have a full reply then.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of staff savings following the introduction of housing benefit; and how these are apportioned between his local offices and local authorities.
§ Mr. Rossi:The Department expects to save around 2,400 posts. Local authorities' requirements vary widely according to local circumstances and no central information is yet available.
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§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how he has apportioned the setting up funds to local authorities for housing benefit; and if he will list the amounts for the metropolitan district councils.
§ Mr. Rossi:Up to £5 million is available to authorities in 1982–83 to help meet development costs under the housing benefits scheme. An initial allocation is being distributed on the basis of the estimated additional caseload for each authority. The allocation represents a general amount of up to £1,000 plus £650 per 500 cases. Any reasonable and necessary development costs in excess of an authority's initial allocation will be met on receipt of final claims from authorities in 1983–84.
The initial allocation of subsidy for the development costs of the metropolitan district councils is as follows:
£ Barnsley 16,600 Birmingham 123,200 Bolton 23,750 Bradford 47,150 Bury 12,050 Calderdale 17,250 Coventry 32,850 Doncaster 21,800 Dudley 26,350 Gateshead 23,750 Kirkless 29,600 Knowsley 23,100 Leeds 72,500 Liverpool 76,400 Manchester 80,950 Newcastle upon Type 36,750 North Tyneside 20,500 Oldham 19,850 Rochdale 21,150 Rotherham 20,500 St. Helens 16,600 Salford 28,950 Sandwell 35,450 Sefton 27,000 Sheffield 60,800 Solihull 12,050 South Tyneside 20,500 Stockport 21,150 Sunderland 35,450 Tameside 21,150 Trafford 16,600 Wakefield 22,450 Walsall 27,000 Wigan 25,050 Wirral 33,500 Wolverhampton 30,250
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to prevent income losses by housing benefit supplement recipients after 22 November.
§ Mr. Rossi:Housing benefit supplement is not payable until the full scheme begins. Its purpose is to ensure people have sufficient money to meet basic living expenses after paying housing costs.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that all district council housing authorities are geared up sufficiently for the introduction of housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Rossi:I have no reason to think that local authorities will not be able to introduce housing benefit as planned.
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§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement outlining publicity carried out by his Department in respect of housing benefit.
§ Mr. Rossi:A leaflet explaining the change is being sent to supplementary benefit claimants who will be affected by the partial introduction of housing benefit in November. Local authorities will be following this up with individual notifications to tenants. Further publicity is planned for the full start of the scheme.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if all local offices of his Department are sending out explanatory leaflets in respect of housing benefit with new order books.
§ Mr. Rossi:Yes. Staff are instructed to include an explanatory form R127 with the order book which covers 22 November if the claimant is affected by the partial start of housing benefit. It tells claimants how their supplementary benefit will change from 22 November.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to write to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on the points raised by him on 26 July during the debate on the housing benefit regulations,Official Report,c. 790.
§ Mr. Newton:I wrote to the hon. Member on 30 July.