Housing Benefit: Young People

(asked on 18th April 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of changes to housing benefit for 18 to 21 year olds on local authority spending on temporary accommodation and other support in (a) Tottenham constituency, (b) the London Borough of Haringey, (c) London and (d) the UK; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Caroline Nokes Portrait
Caroline Nokes
This question was answered on 24th April 2017

There are no plans to change the eligibility rules in housing benefit with respect to claimants aged 18 to 21 years.

From 1st April 2017 those in this age group making claims to Universal Credit in Full Service areas have been unable to receive help with housing costs unless an exemption applies. The comprehensive list of claimants who are exempt includes those unable to live with their parents. Because those subject to this policy will always have the option of returning to the parental home the Government does not expect there to be any impact on homelessness or on local authority expenditure on temporary accommodation.

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