here - United Kingdom Parliament

865W
Written Answers
1 DECEMBER 2010
Written Answers
866W
according to the consumer price index from April 2013.
We have not as yet made any decisions on the constitution
of these areas.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions whether the proposed changes to local
housing allowance will apply to people who are part
way through a tenancy which was signed prior to the
changes coming into effect. [26632]
Steve Webb: Changes to local housing allowance
rates apply to customers at the anniversary of their
claim. The anniversary may coincide with the date they
are due to renew a tenancy or it could fall part way
through the tenancy. For existing customers who will be
affected by changes to local housing allowance rates
from April 2011, we are allowing an additional period
of up to nine months from the anniversary of their
claim during which they will be protected from a reduction
in their local housing allowance rate. This will allow
them extra time to renegotiate their rental commitment
or, if necessary, look for alternative accommodation.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions whether he plans to issue further
guidance to local authorities on the allocation of
discretionary housing benefit. [26654]
Steve Webb: We are reviewing our discretionary housing
payment good practice guidance to local authorities
and plan to issue a revised version early next year.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions whether he plans to make exceptions to
the proposed limits on payments of local housing
allowance to claimants under 35 years to a shared
room rate in respect of those with (a) learning
difficulties and (b) mental health disorders. [26698]
Steve Webb: The shared room rate already has
exemptions which will continue to apply for people in
vulnerable situations. The exemptions include local authority
and housing association tenants and those in certain
supported accommodation.
Customers who receive the middle or higher rate care
component of disability living allowance and where no
one gets a carer’s allowance for them are also exempt.
We are currently considering the detailed design of this
proposal, which is not due to be implemented until
April 2012.
Housing Benefit: Newham
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions how many working families in Newham
are in receipt of housing benefit. [26489]
Steve Webb: The following table shows the number of
housing benefit recipients in Newham which are non
passported and in employment, August 2010.
Housing benefit recipients by family type and employment status in
Newham, August 2010
Of which: In
HB non passported
employment
Single no child
dependents
4,550 1,690
Housing benefit recipients by family type and employment status in
Newham, August 2010
Of which: In
HB non passported
employment
Single with child
3,370 2,690
dependents
Couple no child
800 410
dependents
Couple with child
4,160 3,940
dependents
Total 12,880 8,730
Notes:
1. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not
sum due to rounding.
2. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases. An
extended payment is a payment that may be received for a further
four weeks when they start working full-time, work more hours or
earn more money.
3. Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) is a monthly electronic
scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer
systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data are
available monthly from November 2008 and August 2010 is the latest
available.
4. People claiming housing benefit not in receipt of a passported
benefit are recorded as being in employment if their local authority
has recorded employment income from either the main claimant, or
partner of claimant (if applicable), in calculating the housing benefit
award.
5. Passported status does not include recipients with unknown
passported status.
Source:
August 2010 Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE)
Housing Benefit: North East
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions what assessment his Department
has made of the likely effect on (a) the economy of the
North East and (b) housing provision of planned
reductions in the level of housing benefit and council
tax benefit payments. [17752]
Steve Webb: Work is under way to ascertain the
impacts of the proposed measures and we will publish
an economic impact assessment at the time amendments
to legislation are laid in Parliament.
Housing Benefit: Worcestershire
Mr Robin Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Worcestershire
and (b) Worcester were in receipt of housing benefit of
more than £400 per week in the latest period for which
figures are available. [17631]
Steve Webb: At July 2010, for housing benefit claims
in the private rented sector our records show that there
are no households in Worcestershire receiving over £400
per week.
Source:
Single housing benefit extract for July 2010.
Industrial Accidents: Construction
Miss Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions what plans the Government has to implement
the recommendations of the Rita Donaghy report entitled
One death is too many: enquiry into the underlying
cause of construction fatal accidents [26399]