On 17 November, the Chancellor laid out the Government's fiscal plans for the next term. Stephen welcomed the Chancellor's assurance that benefits and pensions would be uprated, as he has been calling for. He raised concerns, however, that no such commitment was made for local housing allowance.
In April, social security benefits were only uprated by 3%, whilst inflation was around 10%. Rishi Sunak, when Chancellor, had made assurances that there would be a catch-up increase next April. When Kwasi Kwarteng moved into the role of Chancellor, Stephen asked if he would make the same promise. Kwarteng refused to repeat that assurance. Stephen and others have since repeatedly called on the Government to follow through with this prior commitment.
Stephen therefore welcomed the Chancellor’s recent announcement that pensions and working-age benefits will indeed be uprated in line with inflation. He raised concerns, however, that no commitments were given to raise local housing allowance in the same way.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Stephen asked the Chancellor if he will “…uprate local housing allowance, which has been frozen since the start of the pandemic, at a time when rents have surged?”
You can watch Stephen’s full question, and the Chancellor’s response, below. You can also watch his speech in the following debate on the statement here.