§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of gross rents in(a) the private rented, (b) local authority and (c) the housing association sectors is met by housing benefit. [12817]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe information is in the table.
align="center">Proportion of total rental income covered by housing benefit Great Britain 1995–96 Private rented sector Local Authority sector Housing association sector 38 per cent. 58 per cent. 53 per cent. Note:
The information is based on housing benefit expenditure in Great Britain as a proportion of estimated total rental income in each sector, including tenants not in receipt of any housing benefit.
Source:
Figures based on the 1995–96 family resources survey. The number of housing benefit recipients has been calibrated to match 1995–96 local authority case load counts.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will estimate the effect on the number of recipients of housing benefit of cutting the taper to(a) 60 per cent., (b) 55 per cent. and (c) 50 per cent. [12815]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyThe information is in the table.
align="center">Estimated effect on case load of reducing the housing benefit taper Taper (per cent.) Housing benefit case load Increase on current case load Current taper 65 4,700,000 — 60 4,725,000 25,000 55 4,770,000 70,000 50 4,825,000 125,000 1. Estimates obtained from policy simulation model based on the 1995–96 family resources survey uprated to 1997–98 case load levels.
2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5,000.
§ Mr. HopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she plans to publish the Social Security Advisory Committee's 1996 report on proposed amendments to the housing benefit regulations governing service charge eligibility; and if she will make a statement. [14186]
§ Ms HarmanThe committee's report was published today. It provides valuable insight into the interaction of the various funding streams in supported housing. It is vital that such an important document is in the public domain to feed into the group's discussions on long-term funding arrangements.
The inter-departmental group is seeking to implement a sustainable long-term funding arrangement for this valuable social provision. The work of the inter-departmental group is unlikely to conclude this year. We inherited a situation whereby many people relied on a benefit designed to meet housing costs to meet charges for services which bear little relation to the provision of accommodation. A recent divisional court ruling has confirmed that this is clearly an unsatisfactory arrangement. We have introduced interim measures to 854W protect the many thousands of vulnerable people living in supported accommodation and stabilise the position of existing supported housing provision until such time as we can implement a sustainable long-term funding arrangement. We shall shortly announce our objectives for these arrangements and we shall be seeking the views of stakeholders on how best to translate them into a modern, practical and sustainable funding mechanism.