Steve Webb: DWP estimate that the number of social rented
sector tenants (which includes both local authority and housing association
tenants) in England and Wales that will be affected by the under occupancy
measure will be 580,000.
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions what transitional measures are in place to assist individuals likely
to be adversely affected by proposed changes to rules on occupancy for housing
benefit.
Steve Webb: The size criteria rules that apply in the
private rented sector will be extended to those who are under-occupying in the
social rented sector from 1 April 2013.
These rules will apply to both new and existing housing benefit
claimants from this date. An additional
£30 million has been given to the discretionary housing payment fund to
specifically help disabled people living in specially adapted accommodation and
foster carers who have been affected by this measure.
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions what measures are in place to assist cohabiting couples who are
required to sleep in separate bedrooms and who may potentially be affected by
the proposed under-occupancy penalty.
Steve Webb: Cohabiting couples are not exempt from the
under-occupancy charge, whether or not they sleep in the same bedroom. The
discretionary housing payment scheme may be available to help people affected
by this measure but this is dependent upon individual circumstances.
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and
Pensions what assessment he has made of the costs to the public purse of
tenants moving from social housing to private sector housing but who may still
qualify for housing benefit
Steve Webb: This information is not available. Taxpayers are currently paying for
approaching a million spare bedrooms in the social housing sector while
families are living in overcrowded conditions while waiting to be re-housed.
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