The available information is in the following tables.
Local authority HB recipients Housing association HB recipients Private rented sector HB recipients As at May: 2003 20,600 4,300 4,700 2004 20,600 4,400 4,700 2005 20,300 4,400 4,400 2006 19,600 4,600 3,900 2007 19,300 5,000 3,600 Notes: 1. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. The figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases. 4. Private tenants include all private rented tenure sectors excluding housing association. Source: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload stock-count taken in May 2003-07.
Local authority new claims Local authority average processing times (days) Registered social landlord new claims Registered social landlord average processing times (days) Private rented sector new claims Private rented sector average processing times (days) 2002-03 8,700 53 1,700 58 5,100 59 2003-04 9,200 51 1,800 51 5,200 58 2004-05 7,200 57 1,400 50 4,200 58 2005-06 4,200 57 980 53 2,500 72 2006-07 5,500 62 2,000 59 3,300 82 2007-081 2,500 39 1,000 33 1,500 55 1 Quarter 1 to Quarter 2. Notes: 1. Data limitations mean we are unable to establish the number of new customers each year. We have answered the question using figures for new claim. This will be close to the number of new customers, but will include customers who are re-claiming and therefore not new. 2. Data limitations mean we are unable to split housing association properties from the registered social landlord definition. However, the vast majority of HA properties are RSL properties. 3. New claims have been rounded to the nearest hundred. 4. Processing times have been rounded to the nearest day. Source: Housing Benefit Operational Database, 2007-08 data.