During Work and Pensions questions on 5 December, Stephen urged the Secretary of State to increase local housing allowance, to reflect the recent surge in rents.
In November, the Government uprated most benefits and the benefit cap in line with inflation. However, the local housing allowance for the private rented sector remained frozen at rates set in 2020, based on rates in the year up to September 2019.
Research from the housing charity Shelter shows that, by the end of its last freeze, local housing allowance failed to cover the cost of the cheapest 20% of private rented 2 bedroom homes in 78% of England, and in a third of areas did not cover the cheapest 10%.
Speaking in Parliament, Stephen asked the Secretary of State, “does he recognise that the case for rebasing local housing allowance, so it does reflect actual local rents, is becoming a very, very pressing one?”
You can watch Stephen’s full question, and the DWP Secretary’s response, below.