Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made a qualitative assessment of the impact of the decision not to uprate Local Housing Allowance in 2026–27 on homelessness among households in receipt of Universal Credit where at least one individual is in work.

At Autumn Budget 2025, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions reviewed Local Housing Allowance and decided to maintain rates at their current levels for 2026/27. Rent levels across Great Britain were considered alongside other factors, such as social security priorities and support currently available within the challenging fiscal context.

The causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and often complex; they interact dynamically making it difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. DWP continues to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on homelessness. MHCLG published its National Plan to End Homelessness in December.

The new multi-year Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) gives councils more stable funding to support households in financial difficulty and to prevent crises before they occur. Renters facing a shortfall can apply for a CRF Housing Payment in England. Discretionary Housing Payments continue to be available in Wales.