§ Mr. TruswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to ensure that people with learning disabilities are not deprived of housing benefit as a result of their accommodation being registered under the Care Standards Act 2000. [133166]
§ Mr. Pond[holding answer 20 October 2003]Housing benefit is generally withdrawn when accommodation becomes registered under the Care Standards Act 2000. The Department of Health is responsible for providing appropriate funding, through local authority social services, for places in accommodation registered under the Act.
However entitlement to Housing Benefit may be retained in certain cases where the accommodation would not have been required to be registered under the previous Registered Homes Act 1984.