§ Mr. SoleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will conduct a study of the relationship between high value rented properties and the adequacy of housing benefit as part of the trials being carried out on changes to housing benefit.[81550]
§ Malcolm WicksWe use local reference rents to ensure that the overriding principle that people receiving should not have their rent met in full if it exceeds the broad average for the area is adhered to. Local reference rents and the localities to which they apply are set by independent rent officers to reflect local housing market conditions. Requests for re-determinations are rare which indicates that local references rents do not cause widespread problems for benefit recipients.
154WThe new standard local housing allowance will be based on local reference rents and will be piloted in up to 10 pathfinder local authorities selected to reflect a wide range of housing market conditions, including areas with high value rented properties. In consultation with independent researchers, we are drawing up a rigorous evaluation strategy to test the effectiveness of the allowance in enabling housing benefit recipients in the deregulated private rented sector to make informed choices over their accommodation.
§ Dr. NaysmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce a de minimis rule in implementing the housing benefit changes due in April 2003, whereby a small charity, with less than 10 units, may continue to have its 'support' costs included in housing benefit payments. [81563]
§ Malcolm WicksHousing benefit is intended to help people on low incomes to pay for rented accommodation. It is not intended to provide the full range of support services vulnerable people need to enable them to live independently in the community. The Supporting People arrangements to be introduced in April 2003 will bring together resources from several existing programmes, including housing benefit, to create a coherent funding and planning framework for housing-related support services, based on a grant to local councils. The new arrangements will promote greater choice and flexibility for service users.