Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children live in households affected by the under-occupancy penalty in (a) Merseyside and (b) the UK; and what the average reduction in housing benefit award was for each such household.

The information requested regarding how many children live in households affected by the under-occupation penalty in Merseyside and the United Kingdom is published and available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

The information requested regarding the average reduction in the housing benefit award for each such household is not available; but information is available for the weekly amount of spare room reduction amount (in bands) and is published at the link below:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/

Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social Development. Northern Ireland statistics can be found at:

http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research.htm