Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2018 to Question 168974, whether people claiming universal credit and living in (a) specified supported and (b) supported exempt accommodation who do not receive care, support or supervision as part of their tenancy terms and conditions are entitled to housing benefit or the housing element of universal credit.

People living in specified accommodation, as set out in Housing Benefit Circular A8/2014 are entitled to Housing Benefit in respect of their housing costs, rather than support for housing costs through Universal Credit. It is not necessary for the provision of care, support or supervision to be part of the tenancy agreement, however, it must be provided:

• By the landlord,
• On the landlord’s behalf;
• By a third party using a property provided by a social landlord or non-profit charitable or voluntary organisation where the claimant must have been placed to meet an identified need.