Housing Benefits (18 to 21-year-olds) Debate

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Department: Department for Work and Pensions

Housing Benefits (18 to 21-year-olds)

Jess Phillips Excerpts
Tuesday 7th March 2017

(7 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Caroline Nokes Portrait Caroline Nokes
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Yes. We have been very clear about that. If a young person would find it impossible and inappropriate to return home, they would receive the exemption. The situation outlined by the hon. Lady is absolutely one that we have considered.

Jess Phillips Portrait Jess Phillips (Birmingham, Yardley) (Lab)
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Drilling down into the exemptions, who will make the decisions about cases such as the one raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Yvonne Fovargue)? Similar exemptions exist for victims of domestic violence to access legal aid—they need a letter from a doctor or from a specialist agency—but 37% of women still report that they are not able to access legal aid. How does the Minister propose that the policy will work, how much will it cost and how much will it save?

Caroline Nokes Portrait Caroline Nokes
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The anticipation is that the policy will save in the region of £105 million over the period of this Parliament. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that victims of domestic violence are exempt from the policy. We recognise the impact on young women who have been victims of domestic violence and the importance of supporting them.