Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to take steps to prevent practices in the private rented sector which lead to the exclusion of applicants (a) reliant on housing benefit and (b) with low incomes.

Blanket bans against tenants in receipt of benefits or on low incomes have no place in a fair and modern housing market. The Government has previously worked with the lettings industry to agree an approach to end the practice of excluding tenants in receipt of benefits.

We continue to encourage landlords to look at all tenants on an individual basis. Current legislation prohibits acts of discrimination against individuals on the basis of a number of protected characteristics.