Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of households affected by the Local Housing Allowance freeze since its introduction.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance, regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.
LHA rates are reviewed annually at Autumn Budget. The Secretary of State confirmed in his Written Ministerial Statement that LHA rates would be maintained at their current 2024/25 levels for 2026/27.
Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
The impact on private renters was considered alongside factors such as rent levels across Great Britain, the fiscal context and welfare priorities including the decision to remove the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty.
Information on the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall (i.e. where contractual rent costs exceed LHA), is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/). Monthly Universal Credit statistics showing the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall are published in the Households on Universal Credit dataset, and the Housing Benefit – Data from April 2018 dataset, and are currently available to August 2025.
Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest, and if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.
Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) from local authorities. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). However, DWP would also point out that the causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of LHA on homelessness are considered.
Asked by: Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrat - Eastbourne)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to review the current freeze on Local Housing Allowance rates.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum housing support for tenants in the private rented sector. Households in similar circumstances living in the same area are entitled to the same maximum rent allowance, regardless of the contractual rent paid. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas.
LHA rates are reviewed annually at Autumn Budget. The Secretary of State confirmed in his Written Ministerial Statement that LHA rates would be maintained at their current 2024/25 levels for 2026/27.
Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
The impact on private renters was considered alongside factors such as rent levels across Great Britain, the fiscal context and welfare priorities including the decision to remove the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty.
Information on the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall (i.e. where contractual rent costs exceed LHA), is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/). Monthly Universal Credit statistics showing the number of households in receipt of LHA and those in shortfall are published in the Households on Universal Credit dataset, and the Housing Benefit – Data from April 2018 dataset, and are currently available to August 2025.
Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest, and if needed, can access guidance on how to extract the information required. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.
Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) from local authorities. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). However, DWP would also point out that the causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and interact dynamically making it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors. We work closely with other departments, including MHCLG, to ensure the impacts of LHA on homelessness are considered.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claims failed the Habitual Residence Test in each month since 1 July 2024.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the financial situation of mixed-age couples where one partner has reached State Pension age but the other has not; what information his Department holds on the number of households are affected by the Pension Credit rules for mixed-age couples; what steps he is taking to help ensure that households reliant on a single State Pension can access adequate support; and what guidance he has issued to help ensure that claimants are not inaccurately told they are not entitled to state support.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Universal Credit is a working age benefit that helps with living costs. Ensuring that individuals, including those below State Pension age, can get into, progress and stay in work is important for individuals in helping them to continue saving for their own retirement and contribute to the wider economy.
Since 15 May 2019, couples requiring additional support from the benefit system have needed to claim Universal Credit until both members reach State Pension age. Once in receipt of Universal Credit, this ensures that the younger partner can access the same employment support that is available for customers below State Pension Age.
Published data shows that in December 2025 there were around 69,000 Universal Credit claimants aged over 65. This will include mixed aged couples and also some single claimants who are just about to move off UC as they reached State Pension Age during that assessment period.
Information on eligibility requirements for each benefit is published on GOV.UK guidance pages.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help support welfare claimants with learning difficulties during the migration process to Universal Credit.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department provides tailored support for customers with learning difficulties during their migration to Universal Credit. This includes the Citizens Advice Help to Claim service, face-to-face assistance in Jobcentres, and a dedicated helpline.
Customers may also receive help from friends, family members, or approved third parties. Additionally, we offer an Enhanced Support Journey, alternative formats, and home visits to ensure the process is accessible and that customers feel supported throughout their transition.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Question 100498, how many households on Housing Benefit and Universal Credit who have flowed off the benefit cap are in the Other outcome category by reason of receiving an exempting benefit during the quarter to (a) August 2025, (b) May 2025, (c) February 2025 and (d) November 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department publishes Official Statistics on the number of households in Great Britain on Housing Benefit (HB) or Universal Credit (UC) that have flowed off the benefit cap, including outcome at off-flow, in the HB Cumulative Caseload dataset and the UC Cumulative Caseload dataset, which are published quarterly on Stat-Xplore, with monthly off-flows data currently available to July 2025.
The HB statistics do have an Outcome at off-flow category for ‘Household receiving other exempt benefit (Employment Support Allowance support group / Disability Living Allowance / Industrial Injuries / Personal Independent Payment).’
However, statistics on the number of exempting benefit outcomes for UC are included in the Outcome at off-flow category of ‘Other outcome’, and to produce a further breakdown of this group would incur disproportionate cost.
Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access general guidance on how to extract the information required.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to assess the suitability of people for each job under the Youth Guarantee.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the wider Youth Guarantee, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment for every eligible 18 to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Appropriate requirements will be built into the scheme, with guidance provided to those delivering the Jobs Guarantee to ensure that opportunities are high quality, fair and deliver the intended outcomes for young people.
A critical part of the Jobs Guarantee will be the provision of wraparound support to ensure that young people are able to take that crucial first step into employment, and to further develop the required skills and experience needed for the move into sustained employment.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of universal credit received additional consideration due to (a) racial, b) ethnic and (c) religious data in each of last three years.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department does not hold the information requested.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure job placements are carried out fully under the Youth Guarantee.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the wider Youth Guarantee, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment for every eligible 18 to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Appropriate requirements will be built into the scheme, with guidance provided to those delivering the Jobs Guarantee to ensure that opportunities are high quality, fair and deliver the intended outcomes for young people.
A critical part of the Jobs Guarantee will be the provision of wraparound support to ensure that young people are able to take that crucial first step into employment, and to further develop the required skills and experience needed for the move into sustained employment.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the quality of jobs available under the Youth Guarantee.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the wider Youth Guarantee, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment for every eligible 18 to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Appropriate requirements will be built into the scheme, with guidance provided to those delivering the Jobs Guarantee to ensure that opportunities are high quality, fair and deliver the intended outcomes for young people.
A critical part of the Jobs Guarantee will be the provision of wraparound support to ensure that young people are able to take that crucial first step into employment, and to further develop the required skills and experience needed for the move into sustained employment.