Private Rented Housing: Social Security Benefits
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Powers for landlords to collect rent from benefit payments to be re-examined, published on 25 January 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of ending landlord deductions on (a) landlords' rent arrears, (b) evictions and (c) the supply of property in that part of the private rented sector.
Answered by Sir Stephen Timms
No assessment has been made as there are no plans to end landlord deductions from benefit payments.
The Press release was in relation to the Nathan Roberts judgement, and the Department is considering the actions required carefully with regards to implementing it.
A key point is that payment of ongoing rent and deductions for rent arrears to landlords were not deemed as unlawful, and the judgement was around operational delivery. In the customer’s personal circumstances, it is worth pointing out that whenever a decision is made to apply a deduction to a Universal Credit (UC) award, in respect of rent arrears, UC customers have always had the opportunity to seek a review of the decision by requesting a mandatory reconsideration (MR). If the MR results in the decision remaining unchanged, the UC customer has the right to appeal the decision via the Courts and Tribunal Service.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →