Forum Home → Discussion → Universal credit administration → Thread
Autumn statement - LHA rates for social sector- just HB or UC HCE too?
“3.47 Capping Housing Benefit in the social rented sector – The government will apply the relevant Local Housing Allowance rates as maxima for Housing Benefit paid in the social rented sector, including the Shared Accommodation Rate for single claimants aged under 35 without dependent children.
The cap will apply from 1 April 2018 but only to tenancies signed after 1 April 2016. “
Do you think this is intended to apply to Housing Costs Element in UC too, or just HB?
forum member
Programmer - Lisson Grove Benefits Program, Brighton
Total Posts: 501
Joined: 18 June 2010
mycatismo - 25 November 2015 04:18 PMDo you think this is intended to apply to Housing Costs Element in UC too, or just HB?
Hard to say for sure - only HB is mentioned but the costings document ( https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/479740/SRAS2015_policy_costings_final.pdf p35) shows the savings from this measure increasing over the period 2018/19 to 2020/21.
Given that current HB claimants are meant to be being migrated to UC over the period 2018-2021 ( “All residual legacy benefit caseloads will move onto UC by 2021” - p33), I think the figures might be consistent with it applying to UC too.
forum member
City services - Brighton and Hove City Council
Total Posts: 204
Joined: 3 January 2013
I can’t see why it wouldn’t apply to UC too, I’m afraid.
forum member
benefit advice officer, three rivers housing association, co durham
Total Posts: 144
Joined: 18 June 2010
Will make it easy for UC in terms of how much they will award, based purely on household composition and locally set max levels. Will have a serious impact for social housing particularly when single under 35s are restricted to shared room rate.
forum member
Welfare Rights Officer, Southway Housing Trust, Manchester
Total Posts: 627
Joined: 2 June 2015
As single, under 35s have obviously made a poor lifestyle choice to be single and under 35, it makes sense that they should be forced to live in overcrowded squalor!
Welcome back to the days of Dickens!
forum member
Welfare Rights Service, Greenwich Council, London
Total Posts: 211
Joined: 8 August 2012
For HB those under 35 but with SDP in their calculation qualify for single room rate. Given no SDP in UC does anyone know how will UC deal with these clients?
forum member
Welfare Rights Officer, Southway Housing Trust, Manchester
Total Posts: 627
Joined: 2 June 2015
With the usual heartless lack of compassion, I suspect!
Owen Stevens - 26 November 2015 01:14 PMFor HB those under 35 but with SDP in their calculation qualify for single room rate. Given no SDP in UC does anyone know how will UC deal with these clients?
Entitlement to DLA MRC / HRC or PIP DLC
forum member
Welfare rights officer - Enable Scotland
Total Posts: 871
Joined: 22 August 2013
Benny Fitzpatrick - 26 November 2015 10:13 AMAs single, under 35s have obviously made a poor lifestyle choice to be single and under 35, it makes sense that they should be forced to live in overcrowded squalor!
Welcome back to the days of Dickens!
i read an article in the big issue this week which had the opening conversation with scrooge and was pointing out how relevant it is today.
Written Q&A from Hansard yesterday:
Q: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 1.125 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether the cap on housing benefit for single claimants under 35 will apply to those in receipt of disability benefits.
A: The existing exemptions that already apply to private rented sector tenants aged less than 35 will be carefully considered prior to implementing the cap for similar tenants living in the social rented sector.
forum member
benefit advice officer, three rivers housing association, co durham
Total Posts: 144
Joined: 18 June 2010
Made me go and check, now worried about the current exemption from under occ if at Pension Credit Age as there is no similar protection for LHA tenants, only reference to UC allowing exemption if Attendance allowance in payment giving protection against single room restrictions.
Looks like applies to UC too? see attached
File Attachments
- 12790-2016-03-01_LF_to_social_landlords_on_LHA_cap_deferral_for_SA_13260....pdf (File Size: 72KB - Downloads: 2288)