Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 2.115 of the Summer Budget 2015, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of freezing local housing allowance on the availability of private rented accommodation for claimants in London.

No assessment has been made of the effect of freezing rates on the availability or affordability of accommodation for claimants in London. There will be measures in place to help support people who may be impacted. Each year, 30 per cent of the savings from this measure will be used to create Targeted Affordability Funding to help areas where rent increases are causing a shortage of affordable accommodation. In addition the Government has enhanced its package of Discretionary Housing Payment funding - £800 million over 5 years- which is designed to enable local authorities to protect the most vulnerable claimants and support households adjusting to Welfare Reform changes, including the freeze to LHA rates.