Asked by: Tom Rutland (Labour - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what further financial support is available to those receiving Local Housing Allowance in the Private Rented Sector.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Universal Credit (UC) includes housing costs support for eligible claimants in the Private Rented Sector through the housing element; this is generally based on the lower of a claimant's eligible rent and the applicable Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate.
Where individuals require additional help with housing costs, the Government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund enables local authorities to provide discretionary housing support; this is available to UC or Housing Benefit claimants where the local authority considers that additional financial assistance is needed.
Local authorities have discretion over eligibility, award amounts and duration; this may assist with a rent short-fall and one-off housing-related costs such as rent deposits and advance rent if claimants need to move home.