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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to support tenants with rising rents in the context of the cost-of-living crisis; and if he will consider the potential merits of introducing a cap on shared ownership rent increases in line with the forthcoming cap on social housing rent increases.

The Government understands the pressures people are facing with the cost of living and that paying rent is likely to be a tenant's biggest monthly expense. Individuals who need help towards their rental payments may be eligible for a range of support through the welfare system, in addition to the Government’s support for energy bills.

In the social rented sector, the Government recently decided to cap rent increases at up to 7% for 2023-24. The Government is also pleased to note that housing associations responsible for over 90% of that sector's Shared Ownership homes have - through the National Housing Federation - voluntarily committed to limit annual Shared Ownership rent increases in 2023-24 to no more than 7%. The department is encouraging local authorities and for-profit providers to make the same voluntary commitment.