Oral Answers to Questions

Annette Brooke Excerpts

Monday 24th February 2014 Commons Chamber

[Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)]

10. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of councils’ use of discretionary housing payments in this financial year.

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Steve Webb)]

Details of how local authorities used discretionary housing payments in the first half of this year were published on 20 December. That report gives an early indication of how that funding is supporting people, including disabled people living in specially adapted accommodation, and of the type of choices that people are making in response to the changes, such as seeking to move to alternative accommodation or looking for work.

[Annette Brooke]

Does the Minister agree that councils should use all available funds provided by his Department to offset the ending of the spare room subsidy for those who are disabled and have a clear need for two bedrooms or more, and those who cannot find smaller accommodation? Will the underspending this year affect next year’s allocation?

[Steve Webb]

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that the funding being made available to local authorities for cases where it would be inappropriate for individuals to make up the shortfall should be spent. In addition, this Government have made available an extra £20 million, in-year, but less than a quarter of local authorities bid for that money. We want local authorities to spend the money being made available, so that those who can move do so, but those for whom that would be inappropriate have the top-up that they need.