The most recent available information is in the following table:
Number Proportion of client type (Percentage) Aged 60+ and disabled 1— 1— Aged 60+ and not disabled 59,000 3.8 Aged under 60 and disabled 27,000 3.1 1 Denotes nil or negligible. Notes:1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. 2. Figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation. 3. HB figures exclude any extended payment cases. 4. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 5 “disabled” means one of the disability premiums has been awarded. Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2004.
The Department has commissioned a comprehensive and independent evaluation of the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) Pathfinders that will include consideration of any changes in the LHA rates in the Pathfinder areas over the two year Pathfinder period. This includes an assessment of the LHA shared room rate.
Four interim evaluation reports have already been published and copies are available in the Library. The final evaluation reports are expected to be published between the autumn of this year and spring of next year.