HC Deb 11 March 2002 vol 381 cc729-30W
Ms Oona King

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of possession proceedings for rent arrears in local authority and RSL accommodation related to tenants who have had their benefit reduced as a result of one or more non-dependent deductions in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what the average age is of housing benefit claimants affected by non-dependent deductions; what percentage of housing benefit claimants affected by non-dependent deductions are(a) registered disabled, (b) over 60 years old, (c) in receipt of income support or JSA and (d) lone parents; and what estimate he has made of the percentage of housing benefit claimants affected by non-dependant deductions who are left with a disposable income below income support level, once the non-dependent deduction has been taken into account. [34550]

Malcolm Wicks

We believe it is right that adult members of a household who are not eligible for housing benefit should contribute towards the cost of rent where they are financially able to do so. Non-dependent deductions are designed to reduce housing benefit to take account of the contribution towards rent that other members of the household should make. We would therefore expect any shortfall in housing benefit resulting from a non-dependent deduction could be met by the non-dependant person.

The available information is in the table.

Appeals heard where the appellant was represented, for all benefits: 1 November 2000 to 31 October 2001
Case Load All attendances Representative attended Percentage where appellant was represented
Attendance allowance 1,294,300 7,135 5,455 76.4
Child benefit/one parent benefit 7,102,800 215 70 33.2
Council tax benefit 4,651,000 20 5 33.3
Disability living allowance 2,271,100 73,500 48,405 65.9
Disability working allowance/DPTC 28,900 100 45 44.9
Family credit/WFTC 1,224,800 560 165 29.5
Housing benefit 3,854,000 155 80 50.6
Housing/council tax benefit n/a 105 45 41.1
Incapacity benefit (personal capability assessment) n/a 22,175 11,385 51.3
Incapacity benefit (not personal capability assessment) n/a 2,580 1,300 50.4
Personal capability assessment (not incapacity benefit) n/a 515 225 44.2
Income support 3,914,500 10,310 5,280 51.2
Industrial death benefit 14,000 5 1— 1—
Industrial injuries disablement benefit 280,800 16,180 8,875 54.9
Invalid care allowance 379,800 515 275 53.5
Jobseekers allowance 966,500 3,495 945 27.0
Maternity allowance 16,300 25 1— 1—
Retirement pension 11,067,100 645 215 33.3
Severe disablement allowance 365,800 1,215 545 44.9
Widows benefit/bereavement benefit 255,500 305 120 39.9
Others (extinct/rare benefits) n/a 115 65 56.4
1 Nil or negligible
Notes:
1. All appeals figures are provisional and subject to change as more up to date data become available.
2. Case load figures are expressed in thousands and have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
3. Appeals figures are rounded to the nearest five.
4. All case load figures are for Great Britain, except DWA/DPTC/FC/WFTC, which are United Kingdom.

Sources:

1. AA, CHB, DLA IB, SDA, MA figures are current at 31 August 2001, from 5 per cent. sample of data.

2. IS quarterly statistical enquiries, November 2000 to August 2001.

3. JSA quarterly statistical enquiries, November 2000 to August 2001.

4. ICA current at 30 September 2001, 100 per cent. data.

5. IDB current at December 2000, 100 per cent. data.

6. IIDB assessments at 1 April 2000 from 10 per cent. sample data.

Percentage of housing benefit cases in which non-dependent deductions have been applied—May 2000
Client group—Great Britain Percentage
(a) Receiving a disability premium 3
(b) Aged 60 and over 5
(c) Income support/income-based jobseeker's allowance 4
(d) Lone parents 3

Notes:

1. Housing benefit recipients may fall into more than one client group so there may be overlaps between each client group.

2. The figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and are subject to a degree of sampling variation.

3. The data refer to housing benefit recipients which may be a single person, a couple or a family. More than one benefit recipient can live in one property, for example two or more adults in a flat or house share.

4. The percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

5. The average age of housing benefit recipients affected by non-dependant deductions is 59 years.

Source:

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2000