Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Barriers to Work: Supported Housing and Exempt Accommodation

Monday 21 March 2022 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Kerry McCarthy inquired about the assessment of barriers to work for tenants in supported housing and those receiving housing benefit at exempt accommodation rates.
  • The Minister acknowledged the commitment to tackle barriers to work for all individuals, including those in supported housing, through targeted support initiatives.
  • The income taper in housing benefit is designed to ensure that claimants are financially better off from working, maintaining support for tailored housing costs.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Housing Employment Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP is concerned about the barriers faced by individuals in supported housing, particularly those receiving housing benefit at exempt accommodation rates. She mentions that some residents are paying hundreds of pounds a week in rent due to exemptions from the housing benefit limit.

Question

What assessment has been made of the barriers to work for tenants who are in (a) supported housing and (b) receipt of housing benefit at exempt accommodation rates?

Answer from David Rutley

We are committed to tackling barriers to work for everybody, especially those in supported housing. Through our Plan for Jobs, we are targeting tailored support at people of all ages to help them prepare for, get into and progress in work.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific assessment or data on the barriers faced by individuals in supported housing and receipt of housing benefit at exempt accommodation rates was not provided.

How: We Are Committed To Tackling

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Q2 Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East
Housing Benefits & Welfare
Context

The MP welcomed the announcement regarding regulation of supported housing but highlights a current issue where individuals are paying high rent due to exemptions from the housing benefit limit, acting as a deterrent to entering work.

Question

I welcomed the announcement made by the Minister for Housing about regulation of supported housing. However, currently there are people in supported housing where they could be paying hundreds of pounds a week in rent due to an exemption from the housing benefit limit. My local DWP branch tells me that this is a real deterrent for them to come off housing benefit or universal credit and get into work. What is being done to address the problem?

Answer from Guy Opperman

The income taper in housing benefit ensures that claimants will always be financially better off working than not being in work. We believe that maintaining housing benefit in these cases has allowed claimants to continue receiving more tailored financial support for their housing costs than would currently be available through universal credit.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific measures addressing high rent payments and barriers to employment were not detailed.

How: Maintaining Housing Benefit Allows Claimants To Receive More Tailored Financial Support

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