Housing Benefit: Disability – Parliamentary Written Answer

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled tenants in social housing which his Department's Equality Impact Assessment estimates will be affected by his proposed changes to eligibility for housing benefit in cases of under occupation are estimated to be in receipt of disability living allowance.
Steve Webb: Using the Department's Policy Simulation Model, we estimate that around 200,000 households are likely to be affected by the introduction of the size criteria in the social rented sector in 2013-14 where either the claimant or their partner are in receipt of disability living allowance. However, there are certain households included within the 200,000 which may not be affected by the size criteria changes. These are households where the claimant is either entitled to an additional bedroom for a non-resident carer providing overnight care, or is living in certain types of supported accommodation. For other households, local authorities can consider a discretionary housing payment based on the tenant's individual circumstances.