PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
HOUSING BENEFIT REFORM (19 October 2005)

That this House notes that October marks the ninth anniversary of the introduction of the single room rent restriction on housing benefit available to single, childless under 25 year-old claimants; notes that research published by the Department for Work and Pensions in July records single room rent (SRR) claimants as experiencing an average shortfall of £35.14 per week between their benefit and the rent they owe; notes that this is more than double the average £16.34 shortfall faced by non-SRR housing benefit claimants; is concerned this has left many vulnerable young people facing serious rent arrears, eviction and homelessness; notes that the Department for Work and Pensions research concludes that the July 2001 changes, designed to reflect more adequately the costs of shared accommodation, have had no more than a marginal impact on the level of benefit shortfalls and access to accommodation; and supports the call by Centrepoint, Child Poverty Action Group, Citizens Advice, Crisis, Shelter and the YMCA to persuade Ministers not to carry additional restrictions for young people into the local housing allowance being introduced in the forthcoming Housing Benefit Reform Bill.

Sponsored by:
Mr Andrew Love (Labour)