Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made a comparative assessment of the reasons for the difference in the level of rent areas for housing association tenants who are (a) in receipt of universal credit and (b) not in receipt of universal credit.

The Department does not have access to such rent arrears figures to make such an assessment.

Research does show, however, that many people do come onto Universal Credit with existing rent arrears. We also know that arrears are usually temporary and the majority of claimants do succeed in paying their rent, managing their monthly payments and clearing their arrears over time. In our research, the proportion of Universal Credit claimants who were in arrears at the start of their claim fell by a third after four months.

We are carrying out further analysis of this issue with a number of housing providers, to investigate and understand the true level of rent arrears for their tenants, what is causing them and any impacts Universal Credit may be having. It will be published when completed.