§ Mr. SpellarTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's guidance to officials who become aware that housing allowance is not being paid over by the individual concerned to his or her landlord.
§ Mr. Roger EvansWhere a local authority is made aware that an individual has failed to pay their housing benefit, there is a statutory provision for benefit to be withheld, or for the local authority to commence direct payments to the landlord.
Additionally, there is a mandatory provision for benefit to be paid direct to a landlord where there are eight or more weeks arrears of rent.