Universal Credit: Private Rented Housing
(asked on 26th January 2022) - View Source
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claims for which the local housing allowance did not cover rent were subject to deductions for any combination of (a) universal credit advances, (b) universal credit overpayments and (c) tax credit overpayments in the most recent month for which figures are available.
Answered by
David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In the private rental sector, Local Housing Allowance determines the maximum financial support available for renters. In April 2020, we increased Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local rents at a cost of nearly £1 billion, providing 1.5 million claimants with around £600 more housing support in 20/21 than they would otherwise have received. Local Housing Allowance rates have been maintained at their increased levels in 2021/22 and will remain at those levels for 2022/23.
Median differences between rent and LHA in different broad rental market areas reflect variation in rental markets.
The Government is providing £12 billion of support to ease cost of living pressures, with help targeted at working families, low-income households and the most vulnerable. A further £9 billion has been announced to protect against the impact of rising global energy prices.
For those who require additional housing support, Discretionary Housing Payments are available. Since 2011, the Government has provided almost £1.5 billion in Discretionary Housing Payments to Local Authorities.
The information requested is provided in the table below.
Table 1 |
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Claims where the Local Housing Allowance is lower than rent (housing shortfall) by selected combinations of deductions they are subject to, August 2021 |
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Deduction type | Number of claims | % of all claims | Monthly median housing shortfall | Monthly median deduction for the selected combination of deductions |
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Advance and UC overpayment | 26,000 |
| £100 | £85 |
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Advance and Tax Credit overpayment | 45,000 |
| £90 | £89 |
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UC overpayment and Tax Credit overpayment | 21,000 |
| £100 | £62 |
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Advance, UC overpayment and Tax Credit overpayment | 9,000 |
| £95 | £97 |
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Notes:
1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole percent.
2) The Universal Credit Overpayments and Tax Credit Overpayments figures do not include deductions due to fraud.
3) Only claims with private rent and housing entitlement have been included when identifying those claims where the Local Housing Allowance did not cover rent.
4) Figures are provisional and are subject to retrospective change as later data becomes available.
5) Latest figures provided for August 2021 in line with published statistics on Universal Credit Households Statistics.
6) Figures are for Great Britain.