§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the numbers of recipients of housing benefit in the form of(a) single room rent, (b) full local reference rent and (c) partial local reference rent in each London borough in each year since they were introduced. [91782]
§ Angela EagleThe information is in the table.
The table provides the number of recipients who were being paid under the Local Reference Rent and Single Room Rent Schemes. The first column includes those recipients who received 50 per cent. top-up above the Local Reference Rent.
543W
Recipients of housing benefit broken down by local reference rent and single room rent schemes, for all London authorities, for 1996, 1997 and 1998 January 1996 Local Reference Rent Scheme October 1996 Single Room Rent Scheme October 1997 Local Reference Rent Scheme Local authority August 1996 August 1997 August 1998 August 1997 August 1998 August 1998 Westminster 2,240 2,930 2,090 200 160 790 Barking 890 1,610 1,040 50 20 850 Barnet 2,210 3,220 2,750 240 180 760 Bexley 1,050 1,630 230 150 60 1,530 Brent 3,640 6,420 4,520 310 240 1,860 Bromley 960 1,520 1,400 50 50 120 Croydon 1,870 3,740 3,070 150 160 930 Ealing 2,470 4,130 3,800 210 180 380 Enfield 1,870 3,030 2,490 110 100 750 Haringey 2,980 6,410 3,350 190 260 3,570 Harrow 1,240 2,070 930 100 260 510 Havering 730 1,310 950 60 100 390 Hillingdon 710 1,190 940 50 40 390 Hounslow 1,970 2,750 1,720 150 90 1,140 Kingston upon Thames 560 740 450 170 10 190 Merton 1,180 1,720 1,440 60 40 190 Newham 4,920 7,530 6,990 320 180 1,340 Redbridge 2,570 4,120 3,450 130 80 960 Richmond upon Thames 730 1,220 460 50 30 370 Sutton 670 940 480 110 90 440 Waltham Forest 1,390 6,260 3,030 350 270 1,270 Notes:
1. Figures given are for recipients of housing benefit
2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest ten
3. The data will contain estimations for non-responding authorities
Source:
Management Information System Quarterly Caseload counts taken on the last working day of the month in August 1996 and 1997, and on the second Thursday of the month in August 1998
§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research he has commissioned on the impact of the single room rent provision on housing benefit; what were the findings of that research which has been completed; and if he will make a statement. [91778]
§ Angela EagleIn June 1997, this Department and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions jointly commissioned the London Research Centre to carry out a study on the impact of the rent restriction rules introduced in 1996—the Local Reference Rent and the Single Room Rent. The study also focused on exceptional hardship payments and pre-tenancy determinations. The findings have been published by DETR in the report entitled "Housing Benefit and the Private Rented Sector", a copy of which was placed in the Library.
We are considering the future of the Single Room Rent as part of our review of Housing Benefit. We will be taking account of all the available research as well as the implications for public expenditure and work incentives.