§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the DETR/DSS publication, Housing Benefits and the Private Rented Sector, concerning(a) the availability of private rented accommodation for people aged under 25 years, (b) the ability of people aged under 25 years to negotiate lower rents and (c) the impact of the single room rent restriction; [115305]
(2) what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the DETR/DSS report, "Housing Benefit and the Private Rented Sector", on the average weekly difference between rents charged and housing benefit paid to people under 25 years affected by the single room rent restriction. [115306]
§ Angela EagleThe findings of the report concluded that the single room rent restriction is causing difficulties for some young people under 25 years in accessing and maintaining accommodation. We are considering the future of the single room rent as part of our wider review of housing. We will be taking account of all the available research which will include the localised reports we received from a variety of organisations on the effects of the single room rent.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of people aged under 25 years affected by the single room rent restriction who have successfully applied for an exceptional hardship payment. [115309]
§ Angela EagleWe do not collect statistical information on the number of single people aged under 25 years affected by the single room rent restriction who have successfully applied for an exceptional hardship payment. However, research done in 1997 showed that overall 3 per cent. of a sample of tenants affected by the Single Room Rent and Local Reference Rent restrictions interviewed in the survey had successfully applied for and received exceptional hardship payments.
§ Mr. WillettsTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single pensioners claiming housing benefit live in accommodation comprising two bedrooms or more. [114988]
§ Angela EagleThe information requested is not available.
458W
§ Angela EagleThe exceptional hardship payments scheme was introduced from 1995–96. The amounts spent and unspent from the local government contributions to the exceptional hardship payments schemes are in the table. The amount that is unspent is retained by local authorities, and therefore, for part(c) of the question the amounts are as shown in the third line of the table.
§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received on the impact of the single room rent restriction for people aged under 25 years. [115308]
§ Angela EagleRepresentations about the impact of the single room rent (SRR) provision for under 25-year-olds have been received from hon. Members, members of the public and a variety of voluntary and charitable organisations. The representations we have received from voluntary organisations and others suggest that the single room rent restriction is causing localised difficulties for some young people under 25 years in that the accommodation to which the restriction relates is not readily available.