Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on how many bedrooms should be provided to benefit claimants with children.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is support through the social security system for low-income households renting in the private or social rented sector which is paid to those in receipt of either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.
The number of bedrooms required to calculate housing support is determined using a size criterion. The criterion takes account of the number of people in a household and their ages. These size criterions provide a bedroom for a couple, a single person aged 16 or over, two children of the same sex under the age of 16, two children of the same or opposite sexes under the age of 10 and a sole or remaining child. There are exceptional circumstances where support for an additional room can be awarded.
The latest guidance to local authorities was issued following changes to the size criterion in 2017 Housing Benefit Circular: A3/2017. The criteria has not changed since.
Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
Asked by: Darren Paffey (Labour - Southampton Itchen)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that (a) homeless people, (b) people in temporary accommodation and (c) other people who are eligible for, but are not in receipt of, the housing element of Universal Credit are able to confirm their entitlement to those benefits when (i) undertaking affordability checks and (ii) signing a tenancy agreement.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring that vulnerable adults and those with temporary accommodation are adequately supported in securing and managing their benefit. We offer a variety of support for these customers, much of which is tailored to customer’s individual needs.
As part of the process of claiming Universal Credit, we ask the claimant to provide details of the type of accommodation they currently live in, and will either:
.
In addition to above, we offer a holistic case management approach where our agents are expected to offer advice and support on a case-by-case basis. We continue to review and iterate our services to optimise the claimant experience.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help support tenants with the cost of rent in the social housing sector.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is support through the social security system for low-income households living in the social rented sector which is paid through either the housing element of Universal Credit or through Housing Benefit. The level of housing support received is based on the full eligible rent the tenant pays, unless the benefit cap or the removal of the spare room subsidy (RSRS) apply.
There is further support available for people entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. They can apply to their local authority for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs).
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, regarding Housing Benefit, if she will make it her policy to commit a portion of benefit funding into social housing.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Housing support is delivered through Housing Benefit (HB) and the Housing Element of Universal Credit (UCHE). These are means tested benefits intended to help people pay their rental costs, including around two-thirds of households living in the social rented sector in England.
Registered providers of social housing use income from rents to manage and maintain their homes, as well as to deliver new homes. At Spending Review 2025, the Government announced a 10-year social housing rent settlement from 2026 at CPI + 1% for England, alongside a consultation to follow shortly on how to implement social housing rent convergence. This settlement will provide long-term certainty to enable providers to borrow and invest in new and existing homes.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of increased availability of social housing on levels of demand for (a) housing benefit and (b) Universal Credit housing payments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
My department has been supporting the development of a long-term housing strategy which the government intends to publish later this year.
At Spending Review 2025, the government announced the biggest boost to social and affordable housing investment for England in a generation, confirming £39 billion for a successor to the Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36. The programme will prioritise homes for social rent and will make more homes available for those who would otherwise struggle to afford private rents. The Government also announced a 10-year social housing rent settlement from 2026 at CPI + 1%, alongside a consultation on how to implement social housing rent convergence.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of Housing Benefit recipients live in (a) private rented accommodation and (b) social housing.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In 2023/24 financial year, 490,000 Housing Benefit claimants lived in private-rented accommodation. This accounted for 21% of all housing benefit claimants.
In 2023/24 financial year, 1.9 million Housing Benefit claimants lived in social housing. This accounted for 79% of all housing benefit claimants.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the cost of (a) Housing Benefit and (b) the provision of social housing in each of the next ten years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested on Housing Benefit (HB) expenditure over the next ten years is not readily available, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. However, expenditure on HB for the years up to and including 2029/30 is available in the Benefit Expenditure and Caseload tables.
The Department for Work and Pensions does not estimate the cost of provision of social housing.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria.
Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has considered ending spare room subsidy payments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria.
Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people pay spare room subsidy payments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria.
Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.