§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much housing benefit is unclaimed so far this financial year; and what impact he expects the implementation of the Supporting People Partnership will have on reducing this figure. [89242]
Malcolm Wicks: Estimates of unclaimed Housing Benefit for 19997/2000, the latest financial year for which information is available, are in the report "Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-Up 1999/2000", a copy of which is in the Library. Estimates for 2000–1 will be published in March 2003. The Supporting People programme will give local authorities a leading role in matching the provision of housing-related support services with local needs so as to give vulnerable people in the community improved choice and flexibility. Under the programme, providers of support services and local authorities will encourage people to claim the Housing Benefit to which they are entitled, if they have not already done so. However, the impact of the programme on benefit take-up will not be measurable in isolation.