Asked by: Andrew George (Liberal Democrat - St Ives)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2014 to Question 211139, if he will place in the Library the administrative data (Single Housing Benefit Extract) calculation used to estimate the figure of £1 billion pounds; and what estimate he has made of the cost of exempting from the under-occupancy penalty people who would be exempt for reasons set out in sub-clauses 2(1)(a) to (c) of the Affordable Homes Bill.
Answered by Esther McVey - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The calculation of the cost of about £1 billion pounds for the Affordable Homes is solely in relation to Clause 2 (1) (a), (b) and (c). This was estimated using both the administrative data (Single Housing Benefit Extract) and the department’s policy simulation model.
As the estimate was made in this way, it is not possible to place the base data in the Library for this estimate.