HC Deb 30 October 1984 vol 65 cc954-7W
Mr. Squire

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the extra cost to the housing benefit scheme in 1984–85 if no deductions were made from the benefit for non-dependants.

Mr. Newton

I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

Mrs. Beckett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which local authorities (a) have been given authorisation to operate an enhanced "high rent" assessment for housing benefit from November 1984 (i) in respect of both council tenancies and private tenancies, (ii) in respect of council tenancies only, (iii) in respect of private tenancies only and (iv) in respect of classes of dwellings and (b) qualify for such an authorisation but have not applied for it, on the basis of current average rent levels in their area (1) in respect of both council tenancies and private tenancies, (2) in respect of council tenancies only and (3) in respect of private tenancies only.

Mr. Newton

Applications for authorisation of high rent schemes from 26 November are being received and processed currently. The table lists at (a) those authorities which have applied so far and will qualify for authorisation. Those authorities which, on the information available to the Department, would qualify but have not yet applied are listed at (b).

(a) Authorities which have applied for authorisation

  1. (i) For council and private tenants:
    • Barnet
    • Brighton
    • Bromley
    • Ealing
    • Eastbourne
    • Elmbridge
    • Guildford
    • Harrow
    • Kensington and Chelsea
    • Spelthorne
    • Wealden
    • Westminster
    • Windsor and Maidenhead
    • Woking
  2. (ii) For council tenants only:
    • Basildon Development Corporation
    • Blaenau Gwent
    • Central Lancashire Development Corporation
    • Enfield
    • Hammersmith and Fulham
    • Havant
    • Hillingdon
    • Kingston-Upon-Thames
    • London (City of)
    • Liverpool
    • Medina
    • Milton Keynes Development Corporation
    • Radnor
    • Rushmoor
    • Southend
    • Sutton
    • Telford Development Corporation
    • Test Valley
    • Wandsworth
  3. (iii) For private tenants only:
    • Bath
      • 955
    • Camden
    • Hove
  4. (iv) For Class authorisations:
    • Argyll and Bute
    • Berwickshire
    • East Lothian
    • Gordon
    • Hamilton
    • Kerrier
    • Manchester
    • Merthyr Tydfil
    • Moray
    • Midlothian
    • North East Fife
    • Roxburgh
    • Skye and Lochalsh
    • Strathkelvin
    • Trafford
    • Western Isles
    • West Lothian
    • Wreking

(b) Authorities which qualify for authorisation but which have not yet applied

  1. (i) For council and private tenants:
    • Epsom and Ewell
    • Medway
    • Shepway
    • Wokingham
  2. (ii) For council tenants:
    • Arun
    • Basingstoke and Deane
    • Broxbourne
    • Cardiff
    • Castle Point
    • East Hampshire
    • Fareham
    • Havering
    • Isle of Wight
    • Maldon
    • Malvern Hill
    • Merton
    • Middlesbrough
    • New Forest
    • Ogwr
    • Peterborough Development Corporation
    • Portsmouth
    • Redbridge
    • Rhymney Valley
    • Richmond-Upon-Thames
    • Tamworth
    • Torfaen
    • Vale of Glamorgan
    • Washington New Town
    • West Devon
    • Wimborne
  3. (iii) For private tenants:
    • Ashford
    • Bracknell
    • Bristol
    • Canterbury
    • Croydon
    • Dartford
    • Dover
    • Gillingham
    • Gravesend
    • Hastings
    • Hounslow
    • Kingswood
    • Lewes
    • Maidstone
    • Mole Valley
    • Newbury
    • Northavon
    • Reading
    • Reigate and Banstead
    • Rother
    • Runnymede
    • Sevenoaks
    • Slough
      • 956
    • Surrey Heath
    • Swale
    • Tandridge
    • Thanet
    • Tonbridge and Malling
    • Tunbridge Wells
    • Wansdyke
    • Waverley
    • Woodspring

Mrs. Beckett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make no change in the methods used for calculating eligible rent or rates in the housing benefit scheme before publication of the results of the review of the scheme;

(2) if he will make no restrictive change in the rules which allow for consideration of high rents in the housing benefit scheme before the results of the review of the scheme have been published;

(3) if he will make no increase in non-dependant deductions from housing benefit before publication of the results of the housing benefit review;

(4) if he will make no increase in the minimum payment possible under the housing benefit scheme before the publication of the results of the housing benefit review;

(5) if he will impose no restrictions in the rules with regard to payment of amenity charges in the housing benefit scheme before the results of the review have been published;

(6) if he will make no further change in tapers for housing benefit before the review of the scheme is completed and its recommendations are known;

(7) if he will make no reductions in needs allowances for housing benefit before publication of the results of the review of the scheme.

Mr. Newton

As my right hon. Friend indicated to the House on 23 October, at column 536, no decisions to change housing benefit have been taken and we are well aware of the importance of waiting for the report of the housing benefit review. The hon. Member will be aware that following the statement made by my right hon. Friend on 18 June, at columns 20–22, increases in the high rent thresholds originally planned for November 1984 were deferred until April 1985.

Mrs. Beckett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to make any change in the circumstances under which mortgage interest payments are made for those in receipt of housing benefit before the publication of the results of the housing benefit review.

Mr. Newton

Payments in respect of mortgage interest are not eligible for assistance under the housing benefits scheme.

Mrs. Beckett

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish a breakdown showing the total numbers of households losing housing benefit in November 1984 and a breakdown of these households by (i) tenure groups (a) council tenants, (b) private tenants and (c) owner-occupiers, (ii) household type (pensioners, families with children, wage earners and others), (iii) income brackets and (iv) the amount of benefit lost each week per household showing the number of households losing up to 75p per week, between 75p and £1 per week, between £1 and £l.50p per week, between £l.50p and £2 per week, and more than £2 per week, as a result of the introduction of a non-dependant deduction for 16 to 17-year-olds who are not on supplementary benefit or on the youth training scheme;

(2) if he will publish a breakdown showing the total numbers of households losing housing benefit in November 1984 and a breakdown of these households by (i) tenure groups (a) council tenants, (b) private tenants and (c) owner-occupiers, (ii) household type (pensioners, families with children, wage earners and others), (iii) income brackets and (iv) the amount of benefit lost each week per household showing the number of households losing up to 75p per week, between 75p and £1 per week, between £1 and £1.50p per week, between £1.50p and £2 per week, and more than £2 per week, as a result of increases in minimum payments;

(3) if he will publish a breakdown showing the total numbers of households losing housing benefit in November 1984 and a breakdown of these households by (i) tenure groups (a) council tenants, (b) private tenants and (c) owner-occupiers, (ii) household type (pensioners, families with children, wage earners and others), (iii) income brackets and (iv) the amount of benefit lost each week per household showing the number of households losing up to 75p per week, between 75p and £1 per week, between £1 and £1.50p per week, between £1.50p and £2 per week, and more than £2 per week, as a result of the increased taper above the needs allowance;

(4) if he will publish a breakdown showing the total numbers of households losing housing benefit in November 1984 and a breakdown of these households by (i) tenure groups (a) council tenants, (b) private tenants and (c) owner-occupiers, (ii) household type (pensioners, families with children, wage earners and others), (iii) income brackets and (iv) the amount of benefit lost each week per household showing the number of households losing up to 75p per week, between 75p and £1 per week, between and 1.50p per week, between £1.50p and £2 per week, and more than £2 per week, as a result of the package of changes in housing benefit;

(5) if he will publish a breakdown showing the total numbers of households losing all entitlement to housing benefit in November 1984 and a breakdown of these households by (a) tenure groups (i) council tenants, (ii) private tenants and (iii) owner-occupiers, (b) household type (pensioners, families with children, wage earners and others), and (c) income brackets;

(6) if he will publish a breakdown showing the total numbers of households losing housing benefit in November 1984 and a breakdown of these households by (i) tenure groups (a) council tenants, (b) private tenants and (c) owner-occupiers, (ii) household type (pensioners, families with children, wage earners and others), (iii) income brackets and (iv) the amount of benefit lost each week per household showing the number of households losing up to 75p per week, between 75p and £1 per week, between £1 and £1.50p per week, between £1.50p and £2 per week, and more than £2 per week, as a result of the increase in the non-dependant deduction for non-dependants aged 18 years to retirement age and who are not on supplementary benefit.

Mr. Newton

I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.