Articles and Speeches

MP Demanding Answer Gets Surprise
29-Nov-05, Press Release.

Adam Afriyie questioned the Department of Work and Pensions on plans to reform housing benefit. He was surprised to hear a Government Minister criticise the Liberal Democrat controlled Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for having “slipped from 28-day processing in 2002 to 52-day processing” of housing benefit claims.

Mr Afriyie commented: “I was not aware of this slip in efficiency and was most surprised to hear a Government Minister criticise the local Lib-Dem council for its poor performance on housing benefit applications.

“It explains the many letters I receive and I am concerned at the stress that delayed payment cause to the least well off across the constituency” Editors’ Notes

Text from Hansard:
Adam Afriyie (Windsor) (Con): If he will make a statement on his plans to reform housing benefit.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr. James Plaskitt): Reform is already under way. In 2002, we put in place a comprehensive strategy for the reform of housing benefit, which is already delivering results. For example, the average processing times for new claims have been cut by two weeks. We are also testing a simpler system for paying housing support in the private sector—the local housing allowance. The findings of the 18 pathfinder authorities are being carefully evaluated and will inform our decisions on the next steps towards improving support for housing costs. Reform in this respect, of course, needs to complement our overall strategy on welfare reform.

Adam Afriyie: I thank the Minister for his answer, but there rightly continues to be concern about the effect of the Government's housing policies. In particular, the pathfinder pilot appears to discriminate against those on the lowest incomes who are claiming housing benefit. Which of his Department's policies does he believe has been the least successful in this area?

Mr. Plaskitt: I studied very carefully indeed the responses from all 18 pathfinder authorities and they do not confirm what the hon. Gentleman is saying. In fact, all have achieved considerable success and there certainly are useful and important aspects of this reform that we can build on. I ask him to bear in mind the other aspect of housing benefit reform—the current scheme's performance. I wonder whether he might give us a hand by having a word with his local Liberal Democrat-controlled council, whose performance on processing housing benefit has slipped from 28-day processing in 2002 to 52-day processing.