Thangam Debbonaire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government,
what recent representations his Department has received on the advertising of
private property lettings explicitly to exclude people in receipt of housing
benefit.
Mrs Heather Wheeler:
The Department has received correspondence on this issue. The Government
appreciates the problems that some housing benefit claimants can face in
finding accommodation in the private rented sector. We strongly encourage
landlords and agents to look at all potential and existing tenants in receipt
of housing benefit on an individual basis. We will shortly be publishing a new
How to Let guide to help landlords better understand their responsibilities.
Legislation exists to prohibit acts of discrimination against individuals in
terms of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex,
sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity.
