Housing support
We are continuing to make changes to Housing Benefit that will make it easier for people to move into work, help local authorities process claims more quickly, promote greater choice and responsibility for tenants, promote financial inclusion and help the fight against benefit fraud.
Housing Benefit reforms contained in the Welfare Reform Act 2007 have seen the national roll out of Local Housing Allowance (LHA) across the private rented sector from 7 April 2008. LHA offers an easier and more transparent way of calculating entitlement to Housing Benefit. There are also provisions that will support our efforts to encourage more social sector tenants to manage their own rent payments.
The Act allows us to pilot a scheme to reduce the Housing Benefit of people who are evicted for anti-social behaviour and refuse to engage in rehabilitation. Pilots have been running since 1 November 2007 in the following local authorities:
- Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
- Blackpool Borough Council
- Dover District Council
- Manchester City Council
- New Forest District Council
- Newham London Borough Council
- South Gloucestershire Council
- Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
The Act also enables local authorities to investigate and prosecute fraud relating to DWP benefits as well as the benefits they administer.