§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they anticipate that housing benefit payments will be substantially higher in southern England as compared with the Midlands and North, given that local authority and housing association rents will be increasingly related to capital values and open markets rents.
§ Lord HenleyHousing benefit is intended to help people with their reasonable housing costs. The level of rent that is regarded as reasonable will vary according to local market conditions. The amount of an individual award of housing benefit depends on a number of factors, including the income of the claimant, but it is likely that payments will be higher in areas where properties command higher rents.