Local Housing Allowance
(asked on 12th October 2022) - View Source
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the adequacy of current levels of Local Housing Allowance rates in the (a) UK and (b) Stockport constituency.
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas. In April 2020 Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates were increased to the 30th percentile of local rents. This significant investment of nearly £1 billion provided 1.5 million claimants with an average £600 more housing support in 2020/21 than they would otherwise have received.
LHA rates have been maintained at their increased levels since then, so that everyone who benefitted from the increase will continue to do so.
The constituency of Stockport covers two broad rental market areas (BRMAs) as shown in the table below.
| Household average gap between LHA and rent per month | Prevalence of households with a gap between LHA and rental costs |
Great Britain | £146 | 55% |
Tameside & Glossop BRMA | £123 | 71% |
Southern Greater Manchester BRMA | £145 | 52% |
For those who require additional support with housing costs, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available from local authorities. Since 2011 we have provided almost £1.5 billion in DHPs.