Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has plans to distinguish between (a) studio and (b) one bedroom apartments in Local Housing Allowance rates.

A one-bedroom rate for the calculation of Local Housing Allowance is defined as accommodation where the tenant has the exclusive use of only one bedroom and exclusive use of a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet and a room suitable for living in. This includes studio apartments. There are no plans to change this definition.

Housing support is calculated according to the number of bedrooms a person needs based on the size of their household.

The maximum housing costs support is the lower of the actual rent and service charges or the relevant Local Housing Allowance rate.