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Housing Benefit

Volume 458: debated on Tuesday 13 March 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many housing benefit claims were subject to each rate of non-dependant deduction in 2004-05; how many claimants at each rate lived in (a) council housing, (b) registered social landlord housing and (c) the private rented sector; and what percentage of total housing benefit claims each group represents. (108216)

Information on non-dependants is only available from the annual 1 per cent. sample, the latest being at May 2004. At present it is not possible to use the May 2004 data as an anomaly has been identified which requires further investigation before they can be used with confidence. The most recent information, as at May 2003, is in the following tables.

All housing benefit recipients

Caseload

Percentage1

Total with non-dependants

2270,000

7.1

Of which:

Attracting deductions for non-dependants

128,000

3.4

Non-dependants:

Total

3304,000

8.0

Attracting deductions

136,000

3.6

Status of non-dependants:

In remunerative work

59,000

1.5

Of which:

Gross income < £92

6,000

0.2

Gross income £92-£136.99

8,000

0.2

Gross income £137-£176.99

12,000

0.3

Gross income £177-£234.99

10,000

0.3

Gross income £235-£292.99

6,000

0.2

Gross income £293 and over

16,000

0.4

Not receiving income support (IS)/income-based jobseeker's allowance (JSA(IB)) nor working

28,000

0.7

Receiving IS/JSA(IB), not in work

49,000

1.3

On Government training allowance, not in work

4

4

Unknown

4

4

Local authority tenants

Caseload

Percentage1

Total with non-dependants

2158,000

4.2

Of which:

Attracting deductions for non-dependants

77,000

2.0

Non-dependants:

Total

3176,000

4.6

Attracting deductions

81,000

2.1

Status of non-dependants:

In remunerative work

33,000

0.9

Of which:

Gross income <£92

4,000

0.1

Gross income £92-£136.99

4,000

0.1

Gross income £137-£176.99

6,000

0.2

Gross income £177-£234.99

6,000

0.2

Gross income £35-£292.99

4,000

0.1

Gross income £93 and over

8,000

0.2

Not receiving IS/JSA(IB) nor working

18,000

0.5

Receiving IS/JSA(IB), not in work

31,000

0.8

On Government training allowance, not in work

4

4

Unknown

4

4

Registered social landlord tenants

Caseload

Percentage1

Total with non-dependants

280,000

2.1

Of which:

Attracting deductions for non-dependants

36,000

1.0

Non-dependants:

Total

392,000

2.4

Attracting deductions

39,000

1.0

Status of non-dependants:

In remunerative work

19,000

0.5

Of which:

Gross income <£92

*1,000

4

Gross income £92-£136.99

3,000

0.1

Gross income £137-£176.99

4,000

0.1

Gross income £177-£234.99

3,000

0.1

Gross income £235-£292.99

*1,000

4

Gross income £293 and over

6,000

0.1

Not receiving IS/JSA(IB) nor working

6,000

0.2

Receiving IS/JSA(IB), not in work

14,000

0.4

On Government training allowance, not in work

4

4

Unknown

4

4

Private tenantsCaseloadPercentage1Total with non-dependants232,0000.9Of which:Attracting deductions for non-dependants15,0000.4Non-dependants:Total336,0000.9Attracting deductions16,0000.4Status of non-dependants:In remunerative work7,0000.2Of which:Gross income <£92*1,0004—Gross income £92-£136.99*1,0004—Gross income £137-£176.99*2,0004—Gross income £177-£234.99*1,0004—Gross income £235-£292.99*1,0004—Gross income £293 and over*2,0000.1Not receiving IS/JSA(IB) nor working4,0000.1Receiving IS/JSA(IB), not in work4,0000.1On Government training allowance, not in work4—4—Unknown4—4— 1 Figures are given as a percentage of the total HB caseload which is 3,796,000 at May 2003.2 This figure is the number of housing benefit recipients with at least one non-dependant.3 This figure is the total number of non-dependants. 4 Nil or negligible.Notes:1. The figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.2. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple.3. The caseloads are rounded to the nearest thousand and percentages to one decimal place.4. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.5. Figures under 2,500 marked “*” are subject to a high degree of sampling variation and should be used only as a guide to the situation.Source:Housing benefit and council tax benefit Management Information System, Annual 1 per cent sample, taken in May 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research he has commissioned into the operation of non-dependant deductions from housing benefit; and if he will make a statement. (118812)

The Department last commissioned research into non-dependant deductions in the mid 1990s.

We have no plans to commission further research into the operation of non-dependant deductions from housing benefit, but we will keep them under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of housing benefit that was (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid due to the incorrect application of non-dependant deductions in the latest period for which figures are available. (118814)

The housing benefit review survey estimates that in 2005-06 the proportion of housing benefit expenditure overpaid due to incorrect or missing non-dependant deductions was 0.3 per cent. The equivalent figure for underpaid housing benefit expenditure was 0.1 per cent.

The underpayment estimate only covers recipients who were getting less than they were entitled to, and does not include those who were entitled to benefits but did not apply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many tenants are claiming local housing allowance in each of the 18 pathfinder areas; and if he will make a statement. (125029)

Number of tenants claiming local housing allowance in Pathfinder areas, February 2006PathfinderLocal housing allowance caseloadOriginal PathfindersBlackpool8,600Brighton and Hove8,900Conwy2,400Coventry4,900Edinburgh6,300 Leeds6,800Lewisham4,600North East Lincolnshire4,700Teignbridge2,100Second Wave GroupArgyll and Bute1,100East Riding of Yorkshire4,600Guildford700Norwich1,200Pembrokeshire1,800Salford2,000South Norfolk800St. Helens2,000Wandsworth3,10018 Pathfinders total66,600 Notes:1. These are the latest available validated data.2. The reported figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.3. The reported figures include transitionally protected cases.4. The second wave group areas are not subject to evaluation but are assessing operational readiness.Source:DWP Pathfinder administrative data, February 2006.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average housing benefit payment for a (a) single pensioner, (b) married pensioner, (c) single person under pensionable age, (d) married couple under pensionable age and (e) married couple with children was in (i) 1997 and (ii) at the latest available date. (127209)

The available information is in the following table.

Average weekly amounts of housing benefit: (£ per week)

As at May each year:

Those aged 60 or over with no partner

Those aged 60 or over with a partner

Those aged under 60 with no partner

Those aged under 60 with a partner

Those with a partner and children

1997

36.94

34.44

47.81

46.21

47.66

2003

49.09

48.58

60.25

63.95

70.07

Notes:

1. The figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample and subject to a degree of sampling variation.

2. Housing benefit cases exclude extended payment cases.

3. Average amounts are shown to the nearest penny.

4. Pensioner figures refer to cases where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 or over.

5. Figures for those under 60 refer to cases where both claimant and partner are under 60.

Source:

Housing benefit and council tax benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample, taken in May 2003.