Social housing cap??

Can you guys and gals out there clarify something for me please.
I have been informed that the HB rules are under review with regard to full HB payable to people in Social housing.
The local social housing provider has been saying that rules similar to LHA are on their way and peoples HB will be affected from next year. She argues that , for example, that an old couple who have brought up a family in a 3 bed house will have their HB reduced once the kids have grown up and left the house.
I think this is a load of cobblers as i cant find any changes on HB (apart from LHA caps and the 35 year old single room rate thing) but has anyone else heard of this.

She’s quite right.

The intention is to reduce HB by a percentage, depending upon the number of surplus bedrooms.

Thanks Gareth. I know that Cameron et al are looking at trying to get Social Housing rents up to 80% of BRMA private rental but i havent seen anything about HB percentage reductions with regard to Social housing. Can you let me know where to find the details regarding the new rules and percentages. I have been googling without success!  Thanks

If memory serves me well the size restriction in social housing properties will only apply to people of a working age. If a person is over pension credit qualifying age, the size restrictions won’t apply and therefore any HB entitlement would remain unaffected.

If you google “Housing Benefit: Size criteria for People Renting in the Social Rented Sector” you should be able to find a pdf version of the DWP paper on this subject

Hope this helps

Cheers

John

John - 09 September 2011 02:15 PM

If memory serves me well the size restriction in social housing properties will only apply to people of a working age. If a person is over pension credit qualifying age, the size restrictions won’t apply and therefore any HB entitlement would remain unaffected.

Don’t forget that Pension Credit entitlement will be determined by the age of the youngest person in future.

Thanks once again for everyones help. My mind boggles as to why this one has passed me by!

Our LA has given some indication apparently from the DWP that the restriction could be £13 a week drop in HB if under occupying by one room and £20 if under occupying by 2 or more rooms.

here’s a link to DWP equality impact assessment ‘Housing Benefit: Size Criteria for People Renting in the Social Rented Sector’ mentioned by john -

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/eia-social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011.pdf

The figures being mentioned are 13% reduction in HB for one surplus bedroom and 23% for two or more.

Gareth Morgan - 09 September 2011 04:10 PM

Don’t forget that Pension Credit entitlement will be determined by the age of the youngest person in future.

Gareth, please could you let us know more about this. Is this a consequence of Universal Credit coming in for working-age people, and in particular couples where one is working-age and the other pension age. Thanks, Robbie

Robby - 14 September 2011 10:27 AM

Gareth Morgan - 09 September 2011 04:10 PM

Don’t forget that Pension Credit entitlement will be determined by the age of the youngest person in future.

Gareth, please could you let us know more about this. Is this a consequence of Universal Credit coming in for working-age people, and in particular couples where one is working-age and the other pension age. Thanks, Robbie

It’s para 64 of Sch 2 to the bill.

The justification is that people of working age should not escape their duty to work, or seek work, because they have an older partner.

I’ve just done a piece of work on the implications of welfare reform for older people.  It’s surprising how much effect there is, given the expressed intention to protect the elderly.