To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the expenditure which will arise as a result of the provision which makes excess payments of up to £15 to local housing allowance (LHA) claimants where their rent is less than the LHA rate applicable to their case in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. (252160)

It has been estimated that the expenditure which will arise as a result of the provision which makes excess payments of up to £15 to local housing allowance claimants where their rent is less than the local housing allowance rate applicable to their case may be as follows:

It is important to note that these estimates are subject to a number of assumptions and estimates are sensitive to small changes in these assumptions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the amount of local housing allowance paid to tenants since April 2008 which has not been paid to landlords; and if he will make a statement. (253755)

[holding answer 2 February 2009]: The information is not yet available.