§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which of the authorities qualifying for high rent authorisation for housing benefit purposes will lose such authorisation from next April if planned changes proceed.
§ Mr. NewtonApplications for authorisation of high rent schemes from 26 November are currently being processed. The table lists those authorities which have applied for authorisation so far and which will qualify from 26 November but not from next April.
- (a) Authorities which will cease to qualify for high rent authorisations for council tenants:
- Basildon Development Corporation
- Brighton
- Central Lancashire Development Corporation
- Enfield
- Guildford
- Havant
- Liverpool
- London (City of)
- Medina
- Radnor
- Rushmoor
- Test Valley
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- (b) Authorities which will cease to qualify for high rent authorisations for private tenants:
- Bath
- Brighton
- Ealing
- Eastbourne
- Elmbridge
- Guildford
- Harrow
- Hove
- Spelthorne
- Wealdon
- Windsor and Maidenhead
- Woking
- (c) Authorities which will cease to qualify for authorisations for particular classes of dwellings:
- Argyll and Bute
- Hamilton
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate how many housing benefit claimants will lose (a) up to £1, (b) £1 to £2, (c) £2 to £3, (d) £3 to £4, (e) £4 to £5 and (f) over £5 as a result of planned changes to high rent authorisations in April 1985;
(2) if he will estimate the average losses to housing benefit claimants resulting from changes to high rent authorisation in April in (a) areas where authorisation is withdrawn and (b) other areas; and if he will estimate the average loss to council tenants, private tenants and class authorisations in each case;
(3) how many households will lose entitlement to assessment on the high rent formula if planned changes to housing benefit go ahead next April;
(4) if he will estimate total savings to his Department resulting from the planned changes to housing benefit high rent authorisations from April 1985.
§ Mr. NewtonIt is estimated that the changes to the high rent scheme in April 1985 will produce an annual saving of about £6 million and that 90,000 householders will be affected, including 40,000 households living in areas which will be removed from high rent entitlement. A detailed breakdown of the category of claimants affected842W and the amounts of individual losses is not available. However, it is estimated that, where the high rent authorisation is retained, most losses will be 42p and 80p a week for housing authority and private tenants respectively. Where the authorisation ceases most claimants would lose an amount equivalent to 30 per cent of the difference between their eligible rent and the appropriate high rent threshold. The thresholds from November are £16.76 for housing authority dwellings and £20.27 for private sector dwellings.
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which areas qualify for high rent authorisation for housing benefit purposes in respect of (a) council tenants, (b) private tenants and (c) class authorisations (i) sheltered and (ii) non-sheltered; and how many households qualify (a) in each of the categories specified above and (b) in each qualifying area, in each of the categories specified above.
§ Mr. Newton(a) Authorities holding authorisations for council tenants
- Barnet*
- Basildon Development Corporation
- Bath*
- Bexley
- Birmingham
- Blaenau Gwent
- Brighton*
- Camden*
- Central Lancashire Development Corporation
- Ealing*
- Eastbourne*
- Elmbridge*
- Enfield
- Epsom and Ewell*
- Guildford*
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Harrow*
- Havant
- Hillingdon
- Kensington and Chelsea*
- Kingston Upon Thames*
- London (City of)
- Liverpool
- Milton Keynes Development Corporation
- Radnor
- Reading
- Redbridge
- Rushmore
- Southend
- Spelthorne*
- Sutton
- Tamworth
- Telford Development Corporation
- Test Valley
- Wandsworth
- Wealden*
- Westminster
- Woking*
(b) Authorities holding authorisations for private tenants
- Hove
- Waverley
- and the asterisked (*) authorities listed under (a)
(c) Authorities holding class authorisations
- Argyll and Bute
- Berwickshire
- Cumnock and Doon Valley
- Dumbarton
- Dundee
- East Lothian
- Edinburgh
- Ettrick and Lauderdale
- Hamilton
843 - Inverclyde
- Kirkcaldy
- Newham
- Renfrew
- Roxburgh
- Southwark
- Stockton on Tees
- Strathkelvin
- Three Rivers
- Tonbridge and Mailing
- West Lothian
- Wirral
§ Mr. Andrew Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to recieve the report of the housing benefit review.
§ Mr. NewtonThe review team has been asked to report by the end of the year.