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

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the rate of local housing allowance on levels of rent arrears in England.

The Government lifted Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local rents in April 2020, and in 2021/22 maintained them at their increased level in cash terms. The increased Local Housing Allowance rates alongside the wider package of economic support measures introduced by the Government during the pandemic have effectively prevented a widespread build up of rent arrears, by supporting private renters to continue paying their rent. This is evidenced by the latest published data from the English Housing Survey Household Resilience Study from November – December 2020, which suggests that the vast majority (91%) of private renters are up to date with their rent. Of the 9% (353,000 households) in arrears, two thirds are in arrears of less than 2 months.