§ Mr. GaleTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he intends to make to social security benefits for people living in lodgings.
§ Mr. PortilloThe Government announced in April 1987 that help with housing costs for income support recipients living in ordinary board-and-lodging accommodation would be transferred to the housing benefit scheme in April 1989. This group will thus receive help on the same basis as the majority of households on income-related benefits.
We have today written to the local authority associations to consult them on the necessary changes to the housing benefit regulations.
We have also decided arrangements for providing transitional protection to people who would receive less benefit overall as a result of the change in benefit rules. People in supported lodgings receiving personal care from their landlords will be eligible for long-term transitional protection. For families in hotels who are not sponsored by local authorities, we will provide transitional protection for twelve months. Three months' transitional protection will be provided for people aged 25 or over and young people under 25 in vulnerable groups. Other young boarders will not receive transitional protection, but they will no longer be subject to the present limits on the period for which they can receive benefit as a boarder in any one area.
Transitional protection will be paid by the local offices of the Department of Health and Social Security and will be reduced by increases in the normal rate of income support in payment.
The local authority associations have been asked to comment on the draft regulations by 8 August. The final housing benefit regulations, along with the associated income support regulations, will be laid before Parliament shortly thereafter.