Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing – Parliamentary Written Answer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which rooms in the home of a housing benefit claimant occupying a social sector property are to be regarded as bedrooms for the purposes of assessing liability for the under-occupancy penalty; and if he will make a statement.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the Government plans to define a bedroom for the purpose of assessing under-occupancy.

Steve Webb: The removal of the spare room subsidy will take account of the number of bedrooms as designated by the landlord. The number of bedrooms within a property is a matter between the landlord and tenant.