Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of retaining the spare room subsidy rules on recipients of Housing Benefit, in the context of the cost of living crisis.

There are no plans to abolish the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy policy as it strengthens work incentives, is intended to create parity with those in receipt of benefits and renting in the private sector and seeks to encourage greater mobility within the social rented sector.

The policy allows for the provision of an additional bedroom for disabled people and carers, foster carers, parents who adopt, parents of service personnel, and people who have suffered a recent bereavement. Additionally, those in receipt of pension age housing benefit are exempt.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP’s) are available for those who need additional support with housing costs. Since 2011 we have provided almost £1.5billion in DHP’s to local authorities.

The Government announced over £37bn of cost of living support earlier this year which includes an extension to the Household Support Fund backed by £421m, running from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023. This is in addition to the energy bill support announced in September.