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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what information his Department holds on how local authorities investigate tenancy fraud allegations where the perpetrator of fraud is experiencing domestic abuse.

The Department does not hold information on local authority investigations into tenancy fraud cases involving domestic abuse. Training on this matter is the responsibility of local authorities.

Government takes social housing fraud seriously and introduced the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 to give social landlords powers to tackle social housing fraud and increased the deterrent to tenants considering cheating the system. Between 2011 and 2015, we provided £19 million of funding to help local authorities, working in partnership with other social landlords, to tackle social housing fraud; and provided funding to support the Chartered Institute of Housing to provide hands-on practical advice to landlords on which policies and procedures work best. We have no plans currently to commission any updated guidance.