§ Mr. Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the level of debt owed to landlords whose rent is(a) paid direct by district council housing benefit departments and (b) paid by housing benefit claimants. [50410]
§ Mr. Keith BradleyInformation is not available in the format requested.
292WHousing Benefit is paid to the landlord only in specified circumstances that are prescribed by regulations. For example, benefit must normally be paid direct to the landlord where the claimant is in arrears of an amount equivalent to eight weeks or more of the amount he is liable to pay his landlord as rent. Local authorities can also choose to make direct payments where they consider it would be in the best interests of the claimant to do so.
The present regulations, give consideration to the personal responsibility of the tenant and the legitimate interests of landlords and the taxpayers in keeping rent arrears in check. However, it is the landlord's own responsibility to ensure that he obtains whatever payments are properly due to him, irrespective of the tenant's source of income.