Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in (a) Lewisham Deptford, (b) London and (c) the UK in rent arrears after the end of the ban on bailiff-forced evictions on 31 May 2021.

We do not hold data on the number of people in rent arrears in Lewisham Deptford, London and the UK following 31 May 2021. Data from the English Housing Survey (EHS) Household Resilience Study suggested that approximately 9 per cent of private renters were in arrears in November - December 2020. Most renters in arrears, had arrears of less than 2 months.

The UK Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support which is available to support tenants with living costs. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit are in place until the end of September helping renters to continue paying their rent. Local housing allowance rates have been maintained at their increased level in cash terms in 2021/22, meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector continue to benefit from the significant increase in the local housing allowance rates applied in April 2020. For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. For 2021-22 the Government has made £140 million available in DHP funding, building on the £180 million provided last year.