Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of raising the local housing allowance to the fiftieth percentile to support renters during the outbreak of covid-19.

We increased Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30^th percentile of local rents, providing additional financial support for private renters, further to lobbying from homeless charities. This significant investment of almost £1 billion, ensures over 1 million households will see an increase, on average, of £600 per year.

For renters whose circumstances mean they may require more support, Discretionary Housing Payments are also available. We have already provided £180m in Discretionary Housing Payment funding to local authorities to support vulnerable claimants with housing costs in the private and social rented sector in England and Wales for 2020/21. This includes an extra £40m announced at the spending round.