To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Helen Goodman, on 30 November 2009 (HC Deb, col. 391W), whether they will collate the information necessary to establish how many people in receipt of a local housing allowance do not have a bank account; and what payment arrangements are made for such people. [HL1920]

The department is not able to collect information on the number of people in receipt of housing benefit under the Local Housing Allowance scheme who have a bank account. Housing benefit data is collected from local authorities’ administrative systems, and this information is not collected as part of this process.

If a housing benefit customer does not have a bank account, local authorities decide what payment arrangements to put in place.