§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much housing benefit he estimates is paid to claimants who own property which is let but in which they do not live; [20345]
165W(2) if he will bring forward amendments to the housing benefit regulations to prevent people who own dwellings for which they receive a rent from receiving housing benefit in respect of a dwelling they occupy and which is rented from a housing association. [20347]
§ Mr. Roger EvansInformation regarding the amount of housing benefit paid to claimants who own property which is let but in which they do not live is not available. Housing benefit is payable in such cases provided there is a liability to pay rent on the dwelling which is occupied as the home and that liability has not been contrived to take advantage of the housing benefit scheme.
§ Ms CoffeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to exclude sheltered accommodation for the elderly and special accommodation for other special needs groups provided by housing associations from the proposed changes to housing benefit based on a calculation of an average area rent. [22218]
§ Mr. Roger EvansWe await the report from the Social Security Advisory Committee following its public consultation exercise on our proposals for housing benefit changes from October. We shall consider the report, together with representations received, including those from our own consultation with the local authority associations, carefully before reaching final decisions.