Housing Benefit (Hansard, 10 May 1988)

§ 23. Mr. Loyden
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he expects there to be in the level of housing benefits in the next financial year.

§ 24. Mr. Michael
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he expects there to be in the level of housing benefits in the next financial year.

§ 26. Mr. Hardy
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he expects there to be in the level of housing benefits in the next financial year.

§ 31. Mr. Maxton
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what changes he expects there to be in the level of housing benefits in the next financial year.
81W

§ Mr. Portillo
The level of housing benefits is influenced by a large number of factors including changes in housing costs and household income. Decisions on the uprating of benefits will be announced in the autumn in the normal way.

§ 27. Mr. Buckley
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to alter the threshold and taper in respect of the payment of housing benefits.

§ 30. Mr. Harry Barnes
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to alter the threshold and taper in respect of the payment of housing benefits.

§ 46. Mr. Martlew
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to alter the threshold and taper in respect of the payment of housing benefits.

§ 55. Mr. Dunnachie
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to alter the threshold and taper in respect of the payment of housing benefits.

§ Mr. Darling
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received following the change in housing benefit regulations; and if he is considering further changes.

§ Mr. Portillo
I refer the hon. Members to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services during the debate in the House on 27 April at columns 351–61.

§ 28. Mr. Bidwell
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise his estimate of the number of losers as a result of the housing benefit changes.

§ 37. Mr. Sedgemore
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise his estimate of the number of losers as a result of the housing benefit changes.

§ 48. Mr. Litherland
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise his estimate of the number of losers as a result of the housing benefit changes.

§ 50. Mr. Anderson
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revise his estimate of the number of losers as a result of the housing benefit changes.

§ Mr. Scott
The changes announced by my right hon. Friend on 27 April were directed primarily towards reducing the significant cash losses experienced by a comparatively small number of claimants at the point of change. They will have had only a marginal effect on the overall balance between gainers and losers as a result of the social security reforms.

§ 32. Mrs. Golding
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to carry out a further review of the impact of the changes in housing benefit payments.

§ 34. Mr. Gareth Wardell
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to carry out a further review of the impact of the changes in housing benefit payments.

§ 42. Mrs. Mahon
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to carry out a further review of the impact of the changes in housing benefit payments.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to carry out a further review of the impact of the changes in housing benefit payments.
82W

§ Mr. Portillo
We shall continue to monitor the introduction of the reformed housing benefit scheme with care.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many local authorities require the national insurance number of claimants for housing benefit; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Portillo
We aim in the next few years to use national insurance numbers (NINOs) to provide a standard base for data on all social security benefits administered through DHSS offices. In principle we would envisage housing benefit data being collected on the same basis in the future. We have advised local authorities of this, but have indicated that NINOs are items of personal data requiring careful consideration to ensure their use by authorities is for housing benefit purposes only. We shall be discussing detailed arrangements with the local authority associations. Authorities have been advised, however, that until discussions are concluded they may wish to invite claimants to supply their NINOs if known, but that they should not require claimants to do so.