Jess Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jess Phillips on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to planned changes to the housing benefit cap announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what assessment he has made of the effect of that cap on (a) domestic violence refuges and (b) other supported accommodation.

Justin Tomlinson

The introduction of Local Housing Allowance limits to social sector tenants in receipt of Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit will only apply from April 2018 where new tenancies have been taken out or renewed after April 2016.

The Department is working on the exact policy design details for tenants in supported accommodation which includes domestic violence refuges.