Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with the Department for Work and Pensions on the criteria for assessing the income of housing benefit claimants trying to set up a small business.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Work and Pensions have regular discussions across a wide range of topics of mutual interest, including ways in which to best support those seeking to set up a business. However, no specific discussions have taken place specific to housing benefit claimants.