Landlord and Tenant: Housing Benefit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his most recent assessment is of the extent to which private landlords are unwilling to let to tenants on housing benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Gavin Barwell: The English Housing Survey Headline Report 2015-16 (published March 2017) shows that 24 per cent of households privately renting are in receipt of housing benefit. This suggests that recipients of housing benefit are able to access the sector.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the level of work allowance for universal credit will be for people (a) with and (b) without a housing element included in their universal credit in each of the next five years.

Damian Hinds: The work allowance rates are set out in regulations, and are £192 for those with housing costs and £397 for those without.

Social Rented Housing: Housing Benefit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the savings to his Department arising from application of the under-occupancy penalty in each of the last three financial years.

Justin Tomlinson: The estimated savings from the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy policy in each of the last three financial years is as follows:

• £490 million in 2013/14;

• £525 million in 2014/15; and

• £560 million in 2015/16.

Social Rented Housing: Housing Benefit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average reduction in benefits was for claimants subject to the under-occupancy penalty in each of the last three financial years.

Justin Tomlinson: The average weekly reduction for claimants subject to the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy for each of the last three financial years was as follows:

• £14.42 in 2013/14;

• £14.92 in 2014/15; and

• £15.25 in 2015/16.

Universal Credit: Telephone Services – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether telephones with a direct connection to the universal credit helpline are available to use free of charge in every jobcentre.

Priti Patel: We no longer have customer access phones in Jobcentres. However, should a claimant need to use a telephone in connection with their claim or job search, they will be given access to a phone by their work coach.

Universal Credit - Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long it takes for the average claimant to receive a first payment of universal credit from the time they became unemployed in those areas where universal credit has been introduced.

Priti Patel: Universal Credit entitlement is assessed and paid in arrears. Payment is made on a fixed date 7 days after the end of the monthly assessment period. Where a claimant’s earnings or income is insufficient to meet their living costs and in order to safeguard against financial hardship before the first UC payment, an advance payment of up to 50% of their UC award may be made. Personal Budgeting Support advice is also available to all claimants.

Universal Credit: Payments – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the ability of employees paid weekly to meet their living costs in the period between becoming unemployed and receiving their first payment of universal credit.

Priti Patel: Where a claimant’s earnings or income is insufficient to meet their living costs and in order to safeguard against financial hardship before the first Universal Credit (UC) payment, an advance payment of up to 50% of their UC award may be made. Personal Budgeting Support advice is also available to all claimants.

Housing Associations: Public Sector – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the likely effect on house building of the Office of National Statistics reclassifying housing associations as public sector bodies. 

Brandon Lewis: The Office of National Statistics has concluded that housing associations should have been classified as public rather than private since 2008, due to several of the regulatory requirements imposed by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 introduced by the last Labour Government. This decision is purely a statistical change. Reclassification makes no material changes to the operation of housing associations. The Government is committed to developing deregulatory measures to help housing associations build more homes and help more people into home ownership.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of savings to the public purse in each of the next five years arising from the implementation of the Universal Credit (Waiting Days)(Amendment) Regulations 2015.

Priti Patel: The principle behind the waiting days is that benefits are not designed to provide cover for brief spells of unemployment. We expect savings of around £150m per annum which will be used to fund measures to get people off benefit and into work and will particularly help those who are likely to be long­ term benefit recipients.

Temporary Accommodation: Young People - Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate he has made of the number of young people who are living in emergency or temporary accommodation provided by (a) local authorities and (b) the voluntary sector.

Mr Marcus Jones: Local authorities reported that there were 330 applicant households headed by 16 and 17 year olds in temporary accommodation arranged by authorities at 31 March 2015. This compares to 3,140 when this data was first collected in 2007. This is the only information reported on young people from households in temporary accommodation. No figures are held on the numbers in accommodation provided by the voluntary sector.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of universal credit recipients have been placed under alternative payment arrangements by social landlords with trusted partner status.

Justin Tomlinson: The detailed information requested is not currently available. The Trusted Partner test was undertaken over an 8 week period with six landlords. We are evaluating the findings of this test as part of our on-going test and learn approach to working with key stakeholders in delivering Universal Credit. This evaluation will include recommendations on any next steps and future plans.

Social Rented Housing: Landlords – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent progress his Department has made in sharing data with registered social landlords.

Steve Webb: The Social Security (Information-sharing in relation to Welfare Services etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I.2015/46) were laid on 23 January 2015 and come into force on 13 February 2015. Commencing on 16 February 2015, registered social landlords, local authorities and arms length management organisations will be notified when one of their tenants

makes an application for Universal Credit, or when a person already receiving Universal Credit becomes a tenant of theirs. The data shared will be limited to that required by the landlord to identify the tenant and enable them to confirm that Universal Credit has been claimed. This will enable the landlord, at the earliest possible opportunity, to decide whether they wish to offer, or refer the claimant to, additional welfare support.

Housing Benefit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms:   To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Government's commitment in its response to the Oakley Review, Cm 8904, to implement an IT solution so that local authorities are given the information they need to suspend housing benefit only in cases where it is appropriate to do so, what progress has been made in implementing such a

solution; whether the planned implementation date of Autumn 2014 was achieved; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: Following Matthew Oakley’s report we have implemented a number of improvements to communications to ensure that claimants understand the sanctions process and can take the necessary action. An investigation of housing benefit with local authorities showed that the IT solution is working to specification and correct notifications are being sent. As a safeguard we have also improved guidance to ensure that staff advise all claimants, when sanctioned, to inform their local authority so that their housing benefit is not inadvertently stopped. We will continue to monitor the position in cooperation with local authorities.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2014, by the Cabinet Secretary to Question 32 in oral evidence taken in the Committee of Public Accounts, when the Major Projects Authority informed him that the universal credit project was way off track. 

Mr Harper: The reset rating highlighted in the Major Projects Authority Report (September 2013) referred to the shift in the delivery plan and change in management in early 2013. Since the reset, we have worked to a clear plan to deliver universal credit. We are on track with this plan and we are making good progress. In June 2014, the CEO of the Major Projects Authority reported to Public Accounts Committee that the universal credit programme was stable and on track.

Housing Benefit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the consequence is for entitlement to housing benefit when a claimant loses jobseeker's allowance for a period as a result of a sanction. 

Steve Webb: Housing benefit would be unaffected as long as entitlement to the sanctioned income-based jobseeker's allowance remains. Where a sanction results in cessation of entitlement to the sanctioned benefit (that is, in this case either income-based or contributory-based jobseeker's allowance), housing benefit would need to be reassessed. Additionally, regulations exist which allow sanctions to be applied to benefit payability. These provisions can affect the amount of housing benefit payable, but not where a Two Strike sanction has been applied to income-based jobseeker's allowance. Further details are at paragraphs 6.230 onwards of the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/236955/hbgm-a6-deciding-and-paying-benefit.pdf

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of how long it will take when a universal credit claimant reaches the eight-week rent arrears trigger for direct payments to be transferred to managed payments.

Steve Webb: When a claimant reaches the two calendar month rent arrears trigger point, the landlord will be required to provide DWP with evidence of the rent arrears. Our intention will be to implement the managed payment of rent before the next UC payment is issued wherever possible, so that further arrears do not accrue.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether arrears will be deducted directly from a recipient of Universal Credit with rent arrears which triggers a transfer to managed payments.

Steve Webb: In cases that are converted to managed payment of rent as a result of the rent arrears trigger, arrears will be deducted from the UC award.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how his Department will be notified of a universal credit recipient's rent arrears.

Steve Webb: DWP can be notified of a universal credit claimant's rent arrears by the landlord, the claimant themselves or a representative on their behalf. In the UC Pathfinder rent arrears are notified to the UC Service Centre.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when a recipient of universal credit accrues eight weeks' rent arrears and is moved to managed payments, how long will it be before they are moved back to direct payments.  

Steve Webb: Under universal credit we will return claimants to direct payment of rent once we are satisfied that they are in a position to manage their affairs. We expect that managed payments will remain in place at least until the outstanding arrears have been recovered. One of the failings of the current system is that decisions to move claimants to managed payments of rent are not systematically reviewed. How long managed payments remain in place beyond that will depend upon individual circumstance but we expect most claimants would not be switched back to direct payments for a further six months.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he proposes that recipients of universal credit, who already have rent arrears when they claim, will be moved onto direct payment.

Steve Webb: It will depend on the claimant's circumstances. All new claims will be looked at on an individual basis to establish whether the claimant is in a position to manage his or her own affairs. Managed payments of rent will only be considered for those claimants who cannot genuinely manage the standard monthly payment and as a result there is a risk to the household's accommodation.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2013, Official Report, column 660W, on universal credit, whether he expects any further jobcentres to take new claims for universal credit before April 2014.

Mr Hoban: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16 July 2013, Official Report, column 660W. We remain committed to delivering universal credit by 2017. Between October 2013 and March 2014 six more Jobcentres will be taking new claims for universal credit. This means we will be testing UC in each region across the country. This will significantly expand our ability to test and learn as we progressively roll out universal credit. The exact number of claims will depend on local economic conditions. We will make further details of our plans available in the autumn.

Universal Credit – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much expenditure by his Department on information technology for universal credit has been written off to date.

Mr Hoban: The Department regularly reviews the value of its IT. Any impairments to these assets are disclosed in the annual accounts. There were no impairments in the accounts for 2011-12; the accounts for 2012-13 will be published shortly.

DWP Blowing £1.3million Checking Benefit Cap By Hand Because Computers Are Not Ready

Ministers are blowing £1.3million on staff to carry out checks for its flagship benefits cap – because the computer system needed to do the job has yet to be built.  The Government has been forced to take on 112 workers to check what each household receives and if any are exempt from the cap.  Labour’s Stephen Timms said “We need urgent assurances that this latest IT disaster won’t plunge yet another scheme into chaos.” The blunder emerged in a Parliamentary answer from Tory minister Mark Hoban.  He said: “The check is to verify the benefits paid to a household and to check whether any exemptions should apply.  “This process will remain in place until an automated solution is developed and ­introduced.”  Read more on the Daily Mirror website.