Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 55303 on Asylum: Housing, if she will publish the template accommodation contract for housing asylum seekers between (a) her Department, (b) its contractors and (c) private rented sector landlords.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The document is available at https://atamis-8888.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#58000000L5A4/a/4I000001QuuT/sGjvxn0.zVTmJRxP5zk64Vp4prQLfMGIuGWdVxlBIsA as Schedule 22 in Home Office AASC contracts.
Asked by: Kevin Bonavia (Labour - Stevenage)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans in Hertfordshire (a) claim universal credit, (b) are in receipt of the housing element of universal credit and (c) pay the housing element of universal credit to private landlords.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.
Data coverage continues to improve over time and by May 2025 data was held on the armed forces status of approximately 81% of the GB UC caseload. It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”. Data is not collected on the specific branch of the Armed Forces that claimants are serving in or have served in in the past.
Data is not held on the total number of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past, but data is held on those who have identified themselves so far.
The way the data is collected means the claimants for whom an Armed Forces status is recorded may not be representative of the UC caseload as a whole. This means it is not yet possible to produce reliable estimates of the overall number or proportion of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past.
For the purposes of answering these questions:
The number of claimants who have identified themselves as veterans in the Hertfordshire area as of May 2025 is: 530.
The housing element of Universal Credit is paid to the claimant household rather than individuals. The number of households receiving the housing element of Universal Credit, containing at least one claimant who has identified themselves as a veteran in the Hertfordshire area as of May 2025 is: 380.
Similarly, the number of households receiving the housing element of Universal Credit, with a tenure type of the Private Rented Sector, containing at least one claimant who has identified themselves as a veteran in the Hertfordshire area as of May 2025 is: 100.
1. Figures have been rounded to either the nearest ten, hundred, thousand or hundred thousand in line with Department’s Official Statistics rounding policy: Background information note: DWP benefits statistical summary - GOV.UK.
2. Further information on the caseload definition used for the UC official statistics can be found on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 59362 on Asylum: Housing, whether local authorities have a right of objection to the housing of asylum seekers in (a) hostels, (b) hotels, (c) HMOs and (d) private rented sector accommodation in their locality.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
An important part of our procurement process allows for local authorities across the UK to feed in local intelligence before our providers commit to accommodation. They have the opportunity to respond to consultation requests from our providers regarding either individual properties or specific postcode areas.
We are committed to working closely with communities and stakeholders to ensure destitute asylum seekers are housed in safe, secure and suitable accommodation, and that they are treated with dignity while their asylum claim is considered.
The asylum accommodation estate is provided by Serco, Mears, Clearsprings Ready Homes and CTM.
The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area. These statistics can be found at Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Jenny Riddell-Carpenter (Labour - Suffolk Coastal)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to respond to the consultation entitled Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: 2025 update, published on 7 February 2025.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government’s recent consultation on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector closed on 2nd May and we are currently analysing responses. A Government response will be published in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the number of properties currently being let in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire without a valid EPC.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government published a consultation on reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime via gov.uk here, which included an impact assessment containing assessment of EPC compliance. ONS analysis suggests around 60-80% of PRS dwellings in England and Wales are covered by an EPC since records began. Further details can be found here.
The enforcement of the EPC regulations is the responsibility of local weights and measures authorities. The government does not keep records on the levels of compliance with the EPC regulations in the private rented sector.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of compliance with EPC regulations in the private rented sector.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government published a consultation on reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime via gov.uk here, which included an impact assessment containing assessment of EPC compliance. ONS analysis suggests around 60-80% of PRS dwellings in England and Wales are covered by an EPC since records began. Further details can be found here.
The enforcement of the EPC regulations is the responsibility of local weights and measures authorities. The government does not keep records on the levels of compliance with the EPC regulations in the private rented sector.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure private tenants are impacted by the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Warm Homes Plan will help households, including those in the private rented sector, take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation, helping them save money on their bills and benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating.
The Government has pledged to take action to stand with tenants and deliver the safety and security of warmer, cheaper homes. We have recently consulted on improving energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector in England and Wales. The consultation closed on the 2nd May and we are currently reviewing responses.
Further detail will be given in the Warm Homes Plan when it is published in October.
Asked by: Lewis Cocking (Conservative - Broxbourne)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 65373 on Private Rented Housing: Licensing, what estimate she has made of the average annual licensing and registration fee under (a) selective licensing, (b) Private Rented Sector Database and (c) PRS Ombudsman.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Selective licensing schemes are introduced by local authorities. Fees differ based on regional variations in the administrative and operational costs of schemes. Due to these factors, no estimate of an annual average across all schemes has been made.
Fees to register on the PRS Database will be set out in secondary legislation and will take account a range of factors, including burden on landlords.
In line with practice across other ombudsmen, the PRS ombudsman will set the fee members would be required to pay. This will be on the basis of their running costs and service provision. The ombudsman would not be able to make profit and the government will ensure that the fee is proportionate and is good value.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help ensure the provision of accessible housing for disabled Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
We provide a tariff of £5,900 per Ukrainian arrival to councils. Councils can use this funding flexibly to support households as best suits the local area, including using the funding for measures to support guests to access secure and appropriate accommodation in the private rental sector.
All Ukrainian guests have access to public services, including benefits to support the costs of private rented housing. The Citizens Advice Bureau can advise on which benefits individuals may be eligible for and how to apply for those.
Council housing teams can also offer advice to Ukrainians about the range of housing options available locally.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of immigration on the availability of (a) social housing and (b) private rental housing stock over the next Parliament.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is determined to address the dire inheritance left by its predecessor and restore order to the asylum and immigration systems, delivering lower net migration.
The factors affecting supply and demand in the private rented sector are complex and difficult to disentangle. As well as demographic change, they include house prices, rent levels, taxation policy, interest rates, and the movement of tenants into homeownership and social rented housing. It is not possible to isolate the specific impact of each of these factors.
Eligibility for social housing is already tightly controlled. If a person’s visa means that they cannot access state benefits or local authority housing assistance, they are not eligible for an allocation of social housing. Migrants arriving in the UK on student or work visas are not eligible and nor are those who arrive in the country illegally with no leave to remain.
The most sustainable long-term method to improve housing availability and affordability is to increase the supply of housing. That is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.