Local Housing Allowance

Chris Ruane
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of local housing allowance payments have been made (a) directly to tenants, (b) directly to landlords on grounds of the tenant's vulnerability and (c) directly to landlords on the grounds that the tenant has rent arrears in excess of eight weeks, since April 2008.

Kitty Ussher
This information is not available.

Chris Ruane
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to monitor the effectiveness of the implementation of provisions within local housing allowance regulations for local authorities to make direct payment to landlords in cases where claimants are vulnerable.

Kitty Ussher
The Department is undertaking a review of local housing allowance over the two years from the commencement of its national roll-out in April 2008. As part of this review, we will be monitoring the effectiveness of direct payments to landlords in cases of vulnerable claimant.