Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking (a) separately and (b) with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to make an estimate of how much (i) housing benefit and (ii) housing element of Universal Credit is paid towards service charges of social housing tenants.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

The Department does not hold the data requested.

(i) It is not possible to identify Housing expenditure specifically related to eligible service charges for social housing tenants in our administrative data. We only hold data on the total Housing Benefit awards and expenditure.

(ii) For Universal Credit, it is not possible to split UC housing expenditure into expenditure on eligible service charges specifically.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Answer of 14 December 2022 to Question 104103 on Social Rented Housing: Rents, if his Department will commission research into the (a) prevalence of tenants in social housing being incorrectly charged for services they do not receive and (b) impact of (i) caretaking, (ii) maintenance of lifts and door entry systems and (ii) other elements previously covered by rent in social housing now being paid for by service charges.

Answered by Jacob Young

The Government is clear that service charges should relate to costs, and that it would not be acceptable for Registered Providers of social housing to increase service charges simply as a means of boosting rental revenue. Registered Providers (including housing associations) are expected to supply tenants with clear information about how service charges are set.

Where there are concerns about the calculation, collection or communication of service charges, tenants may ask the Housing Ombudsman to investigate their complaint. The Government has strengthened the Housing Ombudsman Service, so tenants of social landlords have somewhere to turn when they are not getting the answers they need from their landlords.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities works closely with the Regulator of Social Housing, and the Department for Work of Pensions to ascertain the impact of social housing rent policy on taxpayers, tenants and providers.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure that housing associations do not circumvent the 7.7 per cent cap on rent increases in 2024-25 by raising service charges.

Answered by Jacob Young

The Government is clear that service charges should relate to costs, and that it would not be acceptable for Registered Providers of social housing to increase service charges simply as a means of boosting rental revenue. Registered Providers (including housing associations) are expected to supply tenants with clear information about how service charges are set.

Where there are concerns about the calculation, collection or communication of service charges, tenants may ask the Housing Ombudsman to investigate their complaint. The Government has strengthened the Housing Ombudsman Service, so tenants of social landlords have somewhere to turn when they are not getting the answers they need from their landlords.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities works closely with the Regulator of Social Housing, and the Department for Work of Pensions to ascertain the impact of social housing rent policy on taxpayers, tenants and providers.

Found: 2010 Members present: Miss Anne Begg, in the Chair1 Harriett Baldwin Karen Bradley Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: approved. ”” _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: 2024 2 _NC3 Ms Harriet Harman Dame Margaret Hodge Sir Peter Bottomley Daisy Cooper Ms Karen Buck

Found: Commander of the Order of the British Empire Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire Karen BUCK

Found: For services to Education (London, Greater London) Karen BUCK Lately Member of Parliament for Westminster

Found: of delivery innovation in the Department.DAME COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (DBE) KAREN BUCK