Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to page 8 of the Government’s July 2016 Keep on Caring strategy, what review his Department has undertaken into extending the exemption from the Shared Accommodation rate of Local Housing Allowance from 22 to 25; and when he plans to publish the findings of that review.

We have no current plans to extend the exemption for care leavers from the Shared Accommodation Rate to age 25, following the cross Government Paper “Keep on Caring” in 2016. We will however continue to keep this under review and consider evidence from stakeholders on the impact on care leavers.

The most vulnerable care leavers will already be exempt from the Shared Accommodation Rate, for example those in receipt of the severe disability premium

Further since 2011 the Government has provided around £900 million in Discretionary Housing Payment funding to local authorities to help support vulnerable people, including care leavers, mitigate rent shortfalls.