§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings he has estimated as a result of his proposal measures to reduce under-occupation of social housing; and on what assumptions his estimate is based. [73524]
§ Angela EagleUnder the Housing Benefit under-occupation pilot scheme, tenants living in social housing, who move to smaller accommodation may be entitled to a payment equal to approximately half the Housing Benefit saving in respect of the next three years.
This Department has worked with a number of local authorities to devise the scheme and identify the cost factors. We propose to operate the scheme initially as a pilot in order to evaluate its housing and financial effects.